What If
by Ushuaia1
Summary: Max and Kenny start to rebuild their relationship, and strange murders start to take place. Can they survive their emotions and outwit a killer? **
1. Default Chapter

Revisiting these stories, and cleaning them up.

"Max has been shot! The mayor has been shot," Kenny Lacos screamed into his radio, as he cradled her in his arms. He was vaguely aware of Jimmy and Skeeter grabbing Stubby Miller, and Carter and Jill kneeling down beside him. He couldn't take his eyes off of her face because this was his Max, and she couldn't leave him now. Not after everything that we've been through. Damn it, he thought, don't you dare die on me Max. I need you.

**11111111111111111111**

Jill and Carter were trying to stop the bleeding, and he could feel her growing cold in his arms. Kenny ran his fingers through her short blond hair, and reluctantly let the paramedics carry her away. He caught a glance of Stubby out of the corner of his eye, and it took every bit of self restraint he possessed not to got over there and throttle the guy. Rage, regret and hurt boiled in his gut, as he watched the ambulance pull out of the parking lot. There was so much left unsaid between us, Kenny thought to himself, as he tried to keep his emotions in check. He had to be strong for her because when she pulled through this, well then they would have that talk. The one that they had been skirting around since they had first broken up eight months ago. The one they started the night of Zach's thirteenth birthday. Both of them chipping away at each other's walls, and getting to the core of the problem.

_ "You said I looked like a whore," Max said hoarsely. "You were mean to me, and your mean to me a lot. Just little things, to make me think I'm paranoid. But I'm not paranoid, am I?"_

_"Listen, Max, when people are together, and they go through things, and it ends. Sometimes hurt, comes out mean."_

Jimmy laid a hand on his shoulder, bringing him back to reality. Silently they walked out to the parking lot to follow the ambulance to the hospital.

**11111111111111111111111**

"We've got her stabilized," Dr. Jill Brock, said quietly. "But there has been a lot of internal damage."

"She's going to be okay though?" Kenny asked, trying to keep the fear and desperation out of his voice. "Jill?"

Jill paused for a moment, not wanting to give out false hope. "Max is in a coma, and her body needs time to recover. She's young and strong, but the bullets caused severe bleeding. If she pulls out the coma in the next 48 hours, there is a good chance that she will recover."

"What are her chances of pulling out of it?" Jimmy asked his wife because Max was like a second daughter to him, and the thought of losing that relationship was eating him up inside.

Jill took a deep breath before replying. "We always like to hold out hope, but in cases like this…. Her chances are under 10%."

Kenny inhaled sharply, and felt like someone just kicked him in his groin. The pain was that bad. "Are you sure?" he croaked, as he felt his heart break.

Jill looked at him, with sympathy in her eyes, and nodded. "Yes."

"Can I go sit with her?" he asked. "I need to. I just want to be with her."

"Of course," Jill said quietly, she could almost feel the pain radiating off of him. She had watched these two dance around each other for years before finally admitting their feelings for each other. When they broke up over something as stupid as hair color, she wanted to shake them. Looking at Kenny then, she could see the same regret and hurt chasing across his face. This wasn't supposed to happen to people, friends, so young.

**111111111111111111111111**

Kenny stared down at Max, and she was almost as pale as the sheets she lay on. He stroked her cheek gently, and took her small hand between his two large ones, and tried to will her fingers to move. Just show some sign of life, he thought. C'mon Max, you can do this, don't let some moron with a gun end your life this way.

"Come back to me," he whispered.

**11111111111111111111**

Max watched Kenny sit by her body from the other side of the room. She wanted to go over to him, and wrap pull him into her arms. Tell him that she was here, and everything would be all right. It was weird to see herself like that, to be outside herself, and not know how to get back in. She tried to talk to him, but he couldn't hear her. And it scared her, to see him hurt like that. In all of the years that they had known each other, she had never seen him torn up like that.

"Kenny," she called. "Please, I'm here. Please see me!"

"He can't," a familiar voice said from the window. "You're in different places now."

Max whirled around, and gaped when she saw Howard Buss sitting on the window sill. "Howard," she gasped. "But you're dead! Oh, shit. Shit. Am I…. I must be. Shit. Howard, am I… dead?"

Howard smiled, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Maxine, take a deep breath. You're not dead, at least not yet. You have an important decision to make, and I'm here to help."

"A decision?" she asked numbly.

"Come with me," Howard said, extending his hand. "I have to show you before you can decide."

"Decide what?" Max said stepping back, and looking over at Kenny again.

"He'll be fine," Howard said, following her gaze.

"But," Max began, not wanting to leave him again.

"There's no time for arguing! Time is short," Howard proclaimed. "We won't be gone long."  
Max reached out to meet his hand, and in an instant they were gone.

**11111111111111111111**

"He's been in there a long time," Joey Diamond said to Jill, as they observed through the window. "Just sitting there."

"They're both so young," Jill replied. "I think they've left a lot unsaid between them."

Joey looked in the window again, and was taken back at the pain on Kenny's face. She hadn't known them as long as the others, but whatever they had between them obviously wasn't finished yet. Sighing, she went back to her rounds.

**11111111111111111111**

Kenny didn't know how long he sat there in silence, just listening to the sound of the machines connected to Max's body.

"I'm not really sure what I should say to you," he began. "Max, I'm not really good at this. Talking about my feelings. You know that though? When you first told me that you were in love with me, well you know how long it took me to say it back. You're my best friend, despite everything that happened. And, I still love you. Always have, and always will. Don't you dare even think about dying on me."

Kenny lapsed into silence again, and prayed that everything would be alright. He needed his faith right now.

**11111111111111111111**

"Where are we?" Max asked, as she and Howard entered a great room, with soaring ceilings and pale gold walls. She spun around, everything seemed so bright, and untarnished. So perfect, so untouched by the world. The light filtered in from the high windows sparkled with flecks of silver, and she felt so warm and welcome.

"This is, it's kind of an in between place," Howard said. "Kind of a gateway to Heaven if you will."

"What are we doing here?"

"You're here to make a decision," Howard said. "You can either go back to your life, or you can travel up to Heaven."

"Heaven?" Max asked dumbly. "Then I'll be dead."

It didn't seem like such a bad option at that moment, standing in that light. She felt more at home than she ever did back in Rome. More content, safer, and she felt at peace.

Howard led her to some cushions, and they sat, as a floating picture appeared in front of them.

"I'm giving you a picture of what life would be like back on earth," Howard said. "The good and the bad."

Max nodded slowly, as she watched her future unravel in front of her.

**11111111111111111111**

"Kenny, go home. Get some sleep," Jill said gently, entering Max's room later that night.

Kenny looked up at Jill, and she could see the exhaustion in his eyes. He had been sitting for ten hours, and his back was throbbing and his legs screamed to be stretched.

"I'm not going to leave her alone here."

"Kenny," Jill began.

"What if she wakes up? I don't want her to be here alone," Kenny snapped. "She deserves better then that."

"Max wouldn't want you to torture yourself like this," Jill said quietly. "You know that."

"I can't leave her here," Kenny choked out. "I need her, Jill. She's the best part of my life. Anything else I could lose, and I could survive. Not Max though. She's everything."

Jill swallowed at his passion, she never heard Kenny express himself quite so forcefully before, at least with words. And she wondered if Max ever had. If she had really ever known the depth of Kenny's feelings for her.

"Okay," Jill said nodding and gesturing to his blood stained shirt. "Let me see if I can find you something clean to put on."

Kenny smiled slightly, and returned to his vigil.

**11111111111111111111**

Max watched as the images swam across her vision. Her parents were coming to visit her, in Rome . Something they had never done before. She cringed as she saw her father yelling, and raising his hands. Her mother was cowering in the corner, and herself falling to the floor after a hard slap by her father. Her father being dragged away by her co-workers and friends. The image changed then, and she saw Danny Shreve. Her ex-boyfriend, who got a little jealous and crazy. His face was twisted into something ugly and savage, and she could feel the hatred in him. Max yelped as his hands reached out for her, and she could almost feel him touching her.

"Make it stop!" she yelled at Howard. "Why do you have to show me this!"

Howard smiled sadly at her. "There's more."

Max whipped her head around to the images in front of her, and Danny was gone. The image had changed again, and it was almost peaceful compared to the others. She saw herself, her hair long and red again, chasing after three children in a big backyard with a wide smile on her face. Three little kids, and Kenny was there beside her. Max felt a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, as she watched the happy family. She wrapped her arms around herself, as they laughed. She longed to cuddle the children in front of her because they were hers. And Kenny's.

The images faded slowly, as Max began to tremble. "Is that how my life is going to turn out?" she whispered.

"That's the plan," Howard nodded solemnly. "There's a lot of pain, and a lot of love waiting for you, Maxine. Everything you saw doesn't have to happen, but it might depending on the decisions you make in your life."

"I don't know if I can handle seeing Danny again, or my parents," Max admitted slowly.

"It's up to you," Howard continued. "But why don't we go back to the hospital?"

Max took one last look at the cavernous room, and followed Howard back to where they started from.

**11111111111111111111**

"Max, can you hear me at all?" Kenny asked after Jill had left. "Just give me something here. Anything so that I know you're here."

The still form in the bed didn't move, not a flicker of anything. Kenny took her hand again, and tried to tune out the humming of the machines. He concentrated everything on Max.

"We both said some things we can't take back," he began as he thought back over their fights in the past eight months. "But we could try again. It scared me, Max, and you know how much it kills to me admit I'm scared. You and me, I knew that what we had was the real thing, and I think you knew it too. We were both looking for a reason to run because were both such, I'm not sure what we are. Commitment phobic, maybe? This scares me more though, that maybe you'll never know all of this. That you'll… die, and never know what you mean to me."

Kenny took a deep breath, and studied Max again for any sign of movement or change. He laid her hand gently back down by her side, and buried his face in hands.

Max and Howard watched this scene from the window, and Max struggled to hold back tears. She turned to Howard, trembling, and then back to Kenny.

"Oh, Kenny. I'm here, I'm here," Max whispered, knowing he couldn't hear her. "And I love you too."

"I need a decision," Howard asked slowly, seeing the emotions on Maxine's face, as she watched her partner, friend, and future husband. Howard smiled to himself, watching these two young people.

Max turned to Howard, as she thought of the pain that going back would bring, and how she would have to deal with her parents again. Danny too. She shuddered to think of what was going to happen there. She looked back at Kenny, and the feeling of contentment came flooding back into her.

"I want to stay here," she whispered. "I need to stay here."

"Are you sure? You have some challenges ahead of you," Howard asked carefully. not wanting to sway her decision.

"I can handle them," Max replied. "I need too. I have unfinished stuff down here."

"Okay then," Howard agreed, giving her a slight push towards the bed.

Max felt herself falling back then, and then there was nothing but darkness.

**11111111111111111111**

Zachary Brock entered the room then with a cheerful, "Hi Kenny!"

"Zach," Kenny replied.

"I heard that music was good for people in comas," Zach continued, as he placed a tape recorder on the table.

"Zach, Max isn't exactly," Kenny began, as the theme song from "Annie" began to play.

"The sun will come out," Zach sang along with the tape.

Kenny had to smile at the kid's enthusiasm, and he turned back to Max.

"Hmm," came a groan from the bed. "No. No."

"Max," Kenny whispered incredulously, leaning over her. "Max."

"I'm in hell. And someone is singing songs from Annie," Max muttered.

"You're not in hell, Max. That's Zach singing," Kenny replied, a wide smile on his face, as he leaned down to kiss her on her forehead.

"Kenny," Max muttered again, cracking her eyes open to look at him.

"Oh, Max," Kenny whispered, holding her hand in his, as Zach finished the song.


	2. Admissions

"Kenny," Max groaned, squinting up at him. Her vision was fuzzy, and her body throbbed with pain, but she could see the relief flashing across her friend's face. She closed eyes against the bright light, and tried to clear her head of the racing thoughts. Strange images of a golden cathedral plagued her, and something else that she couldn't quite grasp. She opened her eyes again, and she felt Kenny take her hand.

"How you feeling?" he asked not taking that huge grin off his face. Thank you, he thought, to whatever is up there, thank you.

"Not sure," she gasped. "Everything is kinda sore."

He reached up to brush her cropped hair back. "God, Max, you scared the shit out of me."

"Hmm. What happened?"

"Don't worry about it. You're okay, just concentrate on that now," Kenny replied, stroking her cheek and pushing the call button at the same time. "Everything is going to be all right."

Max studied him, in her half drugged state, and saw something in his face that she hadn't seen in months. The way he looked at her, with that raw longing in his eyes. The way he used to look at her, even before they were dating. Could just be the drugs, she thought, seeing the IV in her arm. Later, I'll think about it later. Groggily, she saw Jill enter the room, and smile in astonishment. She dropped her clipboard on the chair, and walked over to the bed.

"Welcome back," Jill said reaching down to take her pulse. "You gave everyone quite a scare young lady."

Max smiled weakly. "Am I okay?"

Jill laid her arm back down. "I want to run some more tests, but the fact that you woke up suggests some major improvements already."

Max nodded slightly, the movement radiated pain all over, so she sunk back into the bed. With one last look at Kenny, she dozed off again.

**22222222222**

Max woke up with the sun the next morning. She lifted her head slightly, but quickly realized her mistake when pain rushed through her gut. What the hell is wrong with me, she thought, did I get hit with a bus? Maybe another elephant came to town, and it stepped on me. Nothing would surprise me in this town. Cautiously, she turned her head to the side, and reached slowly for the call button. Her abused and battered body groaning in protest, as her fingers inched closer to it. In a burst of stubborn determination she had it in her hand. Giving her self an inward cheer, Max pushed the button down. Not bad, she thought to herself, as the door opened.

"Look who decided to join the living," Joey quipped from the doorway. "Those drugs really knocked you out."

"I guess so."

Joey walked over to the bed to take her pulse in silence. "Nice and strong."

Max smiled weakly, as her stomach growled.

"I'll see if I can find you something to eat, solid food is not going to be your friend for awhile, but I'll see what I can do," Joey said and after a brief pause she added. "Kenny finally left? No one could pry him from your side."

"Really?" Max replied slowly. "Well, we've been friends for a longer time. We're partners, and we used to date. I guess he'd want to be here. Despite the last few months."

"I don't know all the details of what happened between the two of you, but he looked a little more upset then a man just concerned about a friend," Joey called, as she went off to find some breakfast.

**2222222222222**

Kenny studied her for a few seconds before saying anything. Still pale and too thin, but alive. Jill finally convinced him to go home after Max fell asleep yesterday, and to at least shower and change his clothes. He had stopped by the office to find out was happening with Stubby and to let them know that Max had woken up. The relief lifted his heart, and made him feel like anything was possible.

"Hey, there," Kenny called from the doorway.

"Hi," Max replied, suddenly feeling a bit shy under his gaze. He's so good looking, she thought as she studied him standing in the doorway. Clad in jeans and a gray tee-shirt, he never looked better to Max. I must look awful, she thought, looking at the wires and hospital gown. My hair, he hates my hair.

"I thought you might be asleep," Kenny said walking towards her. "But I thought I would check up on you."

"Thanks," Max said smiling at him. "I guess I've been sleeping enough lately."

Kenny ached to reach out and touch her, but she seemed kind of distant. Uncomfortable even. He leaned back in his chair, and their eyes locked for a moment. Kenny reached out cautiously and took her hand. Max curled her fingers around his, and Kenny just wanted to throw his arms around her and hold her close.

"Found some food," Joey announced waltzing through the door. "And I knew that you would be back."

Kenny smiled sheepishly at her, and settled back down in his chair. Joey set the tray down on the table, and glanced at the two young friends. "Visiting hour doesn't start until eight, but I'll let it slide for you two."

"Thanks," Max said, as Joey gave her a knowing smile and left.

"So," Kenny said. "You alright?"

"I think so," Max replied slowly, studying him as she carefully spooned some jell-o into her mouth. "It's kind of fuzzy though. I was shot, wasn't I? I felt the bandages, and it feels like something ripped through me."

Kenny glanced away quickly, and nodded, "We got the guy though. He's not going anywhere."

"Hmm," Max said, finishing the jell-o, and watching him. Fidgeting in his chair, and not quite able to meet her eyes. "Kenny? You stayed, didn't you? When I was in a coma, you stayed with me?"

"Hell, Max. I didn't want to leave you here. I couldn't leave you here," Kenny said. trying to hide the desperation in his voice. What is it about this woman that had this effect on him, Kenny wondered, what is it about her that drives me wild? He looked back over at her. "We've been friends along time."

Max held his gaze for a moment before responding. "Are we still friends? After everything between us, there is a lot that I'm not sure we can take back."

Kenny swallowed, not wanting to push her after all she had just been through. "Those eight months that we had, they were the best. And the five years before you were my best friend, and I won't lose you over a stupid fight."

Max looked down and thought back to that day when they finally admitted what they both had wanted for so long.

_ "What are you so afraid of losing? Your life? What is it?" Max asked on Valentine's Day, in the break room._

_ "That you'd leave."_

_ "What?"_

_ " We'd be together and you'd leave. I couldn't handle that," Kenny admitted softly._

_ "Oh, Kenny. This is silly," Max replied, as he looked up at her._

_ Kenny leaned in and kissed her softly. "Do you really want to try this?"_

_ Nodding. "Yeah."_

_ They kissed again._

"You'll never lose me," she said softly. "These past few months, I don't know. Maybe turning 30 did something to me. A mini- mid life crisis."

Kenny reached up and took her hand between his and squeezed gently. "I've been a jerk to you, a lot of the time. And I know you never meant to hurt me. I was so afraid that I would never get to tell you that, and to tell you how sorry I was for every stupid, mean, petty thing I've said to you. I didn't mean them, it was a defense. You're so important to me, Max, and you could shave your head, and that wouldn't change."

Max struggled not to cry and to keep her voice even. "You don't have to apologize, I knew you didn't mean half of what you said. I know you, and it was your way not to hurt. I'm so sorry I hurt you because you're the last person I would ever want to hurt. And I was scared of what I was feeling. And you were right."

"About what?" Kenny ventured.

"That night of Zach's party. At least you were partially. About pushing you away so you would break up with me. Not because I didn't want to be with you though because that was all I wanted. It's all I ever wanted. You know my relationship history, and nothing ever lasts. I don't think I could have handled you dumping me, so I did it first. If my best friend didn't want to be with me, who would want too? I wanted it to be permanent too, but I was a coward. I took the easy way out," Max blurted out, not able to stop herself, as her some of her most guarded emotions came pouring out.

They sat there in silence for a few minutes processing each others admissions.

Kenny inched his chair closer to the bed, and took her hand again. "I thought I lost you. All that other stuff, everything that happened between us this past year, it doesn't matter Max. I was an idiot, we both were. I love you, I've always loved you. You're my best friend, damn it. I know we can work this out, and I know I can't lose you. Not now, not ever."

"You can let it go? Just like that?" Max asked.

"You can't? Max, you and me, we had something here. Let's fight for it."

Max swallowed, and squeezed his hand tightly. She looked up to meet his eyes, and for one of the few times in her life she didn't know what to say. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, and she reached up to touch his face. "Kenny," she started, as her voice trembled. "I, well, I. You just, I. I don't know how to react to that."

"Okay," he said numbly leaning back.

Max saw the hurt in his big blue eyes, and sighed. "I was shot a few days ago, and just came out of a coma. What do you expect from me? I can't exactly jump into your arms, and with all the drugs their pumping into me I might even be hallucinating this conversation."

Kenny eyed her warily, not wanting to push her anymore then he just did. "The thought of you dying Max, it changed stuff for me. I thought we had all the time in the world to work this out between us, but we don't. I want you back. And you're not hallucinating."

Max squeezed his hand gently. "I want you back too. Can we take it slowly? We do have time, at least we do now."

Kenny squeezed back, as they sat their in a comfortable silence. Just enjoying the company of each other.

**2222222222222**

"Ugh. I can't believe I'm finally getting out of here," Max said to herself as she pulled on a pair of sweat pants. She fingered the faded Northwestern emblem, and pulled on a tee-shirt. "Three weeks in the hospital. . . I need to get out of here."

Sitting down on the side of the bed, she traced the outline of the scar on her stomach. Jill had taken the stitches out a few days ago, and it said it would be barely noticeable in a few months. Max caught sight of her reflection, and stuck out her tongue at the image. I must have lost 15 pounds since I've been here, she thought as she studied her protruding cheek bones, and a little time in the sun wouldn't hurt either. Her blue eyes looked huge on the thin face, and her hair had begun to grow out, and it hung shaggy layers around her face, at least the pieces that weren't sticking up at odd angles. And my roots, she thought, seeing the red growing back in. She buried her face in her hands, and tried not to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. I should be grateful to even be alive, and most women would kill to drop 15 pounds in three weeks. Plus I have an incredibly handsome guy coming to drive me home in a few minutes. Smiling to herself, she threw on a baseball hat to hide her wild, disarray of hair.

"It looks like someone is ready to leave," Jill said, walking in.

"Definitely," Max replied. "Not that it hasn't been a great stay, but it's time to go home."

"There are a few things I want to go over before you leave," Jill began in her doctor voice. "I still want you to get plenty of rest, and I expect to see you in my office on Friday. No going to work until you get my explicit approval, understand that young lady. I'm going to give you some painkillers, and I only want you to take them if the pain is horrible, and if the pain is that bad, I want you to call me. Maxine, you had a lot of internal injuries, and I wouldn't be releasing you if I didn't know that everything was going to be okay. That said if anything feels wrong, you call."

"Jill, I'll be fine. Really, I feel good. A little sore, but I know I'll feel better once I'm out of the hospital. And get a few good meals."

Jill leaned over and whispered. "And go easy on the sex."

"Jill!" Max gasped, not knowing what else to say.

"Kenny's been here everyday since you've been. I'm not one to pry, but," Jill let the sentence trail off.

"We're taking it slowly," Max admitted. "We both messed up before, and we can't just pick up where we left off. It's going to take some time to put it back together."

"I'm sorry it took something like this to make you two realize what you want."

"Me too," Max agreed, as Kenny knocked on the door.

"Well, look who is here," Jill said, nudging Max. "I'll just get the rest of the paperwork done, and then you'll be free to go."

The two women smiled at each other, as Jill left. Kenny looked from one to the other.

"Hi," Max said not being able to suppress her grin.

He sat down next to her, and wrapped his arm around her too thin shoulders. "What were you two talking about?"

"Oh, medication, and do and don'ts for when I get out of here. Girl talk."

They just looked at each other, and Max laid her head on is shoulder, and he wrapped his arms around her.

"You stole my hat," Kenny commented after a moment.

"You left it here, and I'm having a really bad hair day," Max replied leaning into him.

**2222222222222**

"It hasn't changed much," Max said, as she entered her apartment for the first time in almost a month.

"I, uh, bought you some food and stuff," Kenny said nervously, not sure what was coming next. It had been easy when she was in that hospital bed. Now, it was back to reality, and he wasn't sure if that was going to be a good thing. Reality was where everything had fallen apart for them. There was always a chance that she would tell him thanks, but no thanks.

"Thanks," Max said, sitting on the couch, and wincing a little bit as her still bruised body ached.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Jill said I would be sore for awhile."

"Do you want to lie down?"

"Kenny, I've been lying in hospital bed for almost a month. Know what I would love? A pizza, with everything on it. And a beer. Do you know how long it's been since I had a beer?"

"Should you be drinking? I mean you're on painkillers."  
Max smiled at his concerned expression, an was torn between hugging and kicking him. "I'm not taking any pills, at least not now. C'mon. Indulge me a little bit."

Kenny grinned back at her and tossed the phone over. "Here you order, I'll find some beer. It was the one thing in the fridge that didn't spoil."

**2222222222222222222222**

"Oh, god. This is so good," Max moaned, savoring her pizza. "Do know how much better this is then hospital food?"

"I have a good idea," Kenny agreed taking a swig of his beer.

She finished her piece and reached for a second. "I think my appetite is coming back, as soon I was out in the fresh air all I wanted to do was eat."

"We need to fatten you up."

Max tossed a pillow at him, as he grinned at him. "I should be insulted at that, but I am a little bony."

Kenny tossed the pillow back at her. "You're beautiful."

Max grinned at his compliment. "Right. Thanks though."

"You think that I would lie to you? Max, you're gorgeous. You know that."

"You're the only one that would think that now. You always see the best in me, even when I'm at my worst. You know, you're wonderful. You've always been that way to me."

Kenny moved closer to her, aching to kiss her. "Not always. We've had our problems."

"Yeah, okay for the most part," Max agreed. "And I know I haven't always been the easiest person to deal with."

"Neither have I," Kenny said, placing his arm around her shoulders. "But you've always been there."

Max looked up at him, and smiled. Kenny stroked her cheek, and leaned in. Max wrapped her arms around his neck, and held him close. Their lips meet, and bodies melted against each other like they'd never been apart.


	3. Returning to Normal

"Oh, Hmm," Max groaned, as pain radiated through her gut. "Kenny…."

"That wasn't a happy moan," Kenny replied weakly, pulling reluctantly away from her and seeing her wince.

"No, I'm okay," she gasped, wrapping her arms around herself. "Give me a minute."

Kenny held her close, as she rode out the pain. Sucking in her breath, she buried her head in his broad chest. Kenny ran his hand down her back, and not wanting to cause her anymore hurt.

"That took me by surprise," Max said with a weak smile, her mind still spinning. "All of it."

Kenny smoothed back her growing out hair, and she leaned up against him. "Shit, Max. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I'm fine really," she insisted, seeing the guilt all over his face. "I guess I'm going to be sore for awhile."

"You sure?"

"Kenny, don't worry about it," Max cried, not wanting him to feel badly. "And I like having you hold me. And kiss me."

He dropped a kiss on her forehead, happy to just hold her again. "We're supposed to be taking this slow? Right?"

"We took it slowly for five years," Max replied devilishly. "I don't think a little while longer would hurt. Physically, we don't really have a choice."

"I want you," Kenny blurted out, not being able to stop himself.

"I want you too," Max replied, turning to look up at him, swallowing she continued. "Oh, hell. Just kiss me again."

Their faces were inches apart, and Max could smell the onions on his breath from the pizza. Kenny very softly cupped her face in his hands, as she wrapped her arms around him. Very slowly, he leaned in and brushed her lips against hers, and going against all his natural instincts, pulled away. Max leaned his head against his shoulder, and they just sat there.

"Slow, right?"

"Yeah," Max replied, wanting to rip his clothes off. "Slow. Slow. I'll just have to keep repeating it to myself." Kenny dropped another kiss on top of her head, as she continued. "Kenny? I, I never thanked you, did I? For all of this?"

"All of what?"

"Being here. Staying with me in the hospital? Just being my friend, even when I was awful to you," Max said shyly.

"You weren't ever awful. And I stayed because I care about you, and, well, I just wanted to be with you," Kenny said. "Listen Max, we both said and did some stupid things. You've been the one constant in my life, and even when I was pissed at you, I know that you would stick by me. I still can't believe you destroyed those tapes."

_ "Max, wait up."_

_ "What?"_

_ "Why'd you do it?" Kenny asked._

_ "I went to see Sherry, she told me the whole story," Max replied._

_ "Destroying evidence is a felony, Max," Kenny said, trying to keep his voice even._

_ "I know."_

_ "You did that for me?" he asked in disbelief._

_ "We've been friends along time Kenny," Max sighed. "And I wasn't about to watch you destroy yourself."_

_ "Are we still friends?"_

_ "I don't know," Max said quietly._

_ "Partners?"_

_ "Okay."_

"I'd do it again," Max said quietly. "It was a way, at least trying, to make amends."

"Well, I never thanked you for that. If those tapes ever got out, I don't know where I'd be."

"You've thanked me. This past month, you've gone above and beyond friendship," Max said pausing. "I was so jealous that you found someone so fast."

"I wanted her to be you, I used to close my eyes and pretend," Kenny admitted, looking away. "Stupid, isn't it? She was a hooker."

"Well, I've been celibate for the last eight months," Max replied. "I'm not sure what that means."

"What about the guy you met on-line?" Kenny asked. "You seemed excited about him."

Groaning inwardly. "If you laugh when I tell you this, I'll, I guess I can't do too much now. He, god, Kenny, he was a cross dresser. He showed up to take me out wearing a dress, heels and more make-up then me."

Willing himself to not laugh because, despite her injuries, he was sure that Max could still throw a quick punch, he said evenly. "Well then. You do know how to pick them."

"I know you want to laugh," Max said, looking up at him.

"Not going too," he said restraining himself. "You have a mean right hook."

"Me? The woman who just got out of the hospital," Max teased, feeling incredibly comfortable with him. "Right."

"It's getting late. Don't you want to go to sleep? I can't take much more of this."

"More of what?"

"Sitting here with you, and not taking you on the floor."

"That's a line if I ever heard one. After eight months of celibacy, I should take you up on that," Max said. "But as we already figured out, that might cause another trip to the hospital."

Kenny looked down at her, and smiled. I love her, he thought, I want her right now. "C'mon, you've had a long day."

**2222222222222**

Max sunk back against the pillows, and was grateful to feel the coolness of her own sheets after the industrial feel of the hospital bed.

"Do you need anything? Water, another pillow, anything," Kenny asked anxiously, hovering above her.

Max bit her lip, and tried not to laugh. It wasn't like him to treat her, or anyone, like this. And it wasn't like her to let someone take care of her, maybe we're both changing, Max thought to herself. Letting our guard down some.

"No, it does feel good to be back in my own bed though," Max said.

"Okay," Kenny began, not wanting to leave her. "Hey, you're going to be alright here? It's your first night with no one around and stuff."

Max swallowed, wanting him to wrap his arms around her. "Of course."

"Okay then," Kenny said. "If your sure."

Max buried the fear that was bubbling up inside her because she was nervous about being alone. After all, she had been surrounded by people for a month, and the thought of being alone at night left her unsettled.

"Stay," she blurted out. "Please stay."

Kenny sat down on the side of the bed. "Sh. Hey, I've sat by your bed a lot this past month."

"Thanks, I'm," Max trailed off.

"I know," Kenny said. "Lie back, I'm not going anywhere."

**22222222222222**

"Hello again," Howard Buss called, as Max met him in the golden cathedral.

"Howard," she said, feeling a sense of peace as they met again. "I'm not in a coma again? Am I?"

Howard shook his head. "I just wanted to see how you were. No regrets?"

"No," Max said. "Things are going well. Kenny and I, we're going to work things out. I can feel it."

"That is good news," Howard cried. "But I want to warn you about some things. You might not remember, but we have a special connection now. I have to tell you."

"You're scaring me," Max whispered, at his proclamation.

"Listen carefully; a murder is going to happen soon. It can't be stopped, but it will affect everybody."

"Who?" Max asked, as he began to fade. "Howard!"

**22222222222222222222**

Max woke up with a jerk in the darkness of her bedroom, and wiped the sweat from her brow. A memory danced around the edge of her mind, but she couldn't get a clear picture of what it was.

"Max?" Kenny asked, his voice filled with sleep. "You awake?"

"Yeah," she said. "I had the weirdest dream, but I can't really remember what it was about."

"Hmm."

Max leaned back against his chest, and he tightened his arms around her. "Shh. Go back to sleep, it was nothing."

**2222222222222**

"So, how am I?" Max asked Jill, a couple days later, at her office.

Jill glanced at her young friend. Too thin, she thought, pale, but healing. "The x-rays showed that everything is healing properly, and that there wasn't any permanent damage. How do you feel? Any pain?"

"Once in a while, when a move the wrong way. Like when I get up to fast, or," she trailed off thinking about when Kenny kissed her on her first night home. "I don't know, it isn't happening as much as time goes by."

"Well, it shouldn't," Jill agreed, putting down her chart. "I want you to rest for another few days, and then you should be able to go back to work. Desk work only for awhile, and we'll see from there."

"Really?" Max grinned. The thought of getting back to work, and to her life was highly appealing. "That would be great. I'm getting stir crazy, and becoming addicted to soap operas. I would love to be a functioning member of society again."

"Soon. Go ahead and get dressed," Jill said. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Discarding the paper robe, Max pulled on her red tank and jeans. Glancing in the mirror, she thought at least I look a little better. All that food Kenny's been bringing every night, at least I don't look half dead anymore. She smoothed back her hair, happy about how it covered her ears now, and how the platinum was fading out to sort of a strawberry blond color. She slid her feet into her flip flops, and leaned back against the examining table.

"Are you decent?" called Jill from the door.

"C'mon in," Max called back.

"So," Jill said slowly, not wanting to pry. "I hear that you and Kenny have been spending a lot of time together lately."

Shrugging, Max replied. "We're working things out, and I think everything will be okay."

"He was worried about you," Jill said. "No one could pry him from your side."

"We have a lot of history," Max said quietly, not sure she was ready to delve into all of it. "No one, not even my family, understands me the way he does. He knows how to push all my buttons, which isn't always a good thing, but something just clicks when we're together. We've both seen each other through, well everything in the last seven years. I love him, even after everything that happened this year."

"Be happy. Both of you," Jill said patting her hand. "I know you both quite well, don't that your stubborn fears get in the way."

"That's what we're working on."

"Go on. Take it easy for a few more days," Jill said. "I want to check you out one more time before I send you back to work, so come back in on, how about Wednesday?"

"I'm sure my schedules open, I'll see you then."

**2222222222222**

Max pulled her jeep onto the side of the road when she saw the same red sedan that was there when she drove over to Jill's office. Pulling closer, she could make out a figure on the drivers side. Squinting, she couldn't see anyone else, and the figure wasn't moving.

"Shit," she said, opening the door, her brain kicking into cop mode. Noting the lack of traffic, she made her way slowly to the other car. Her stomach clenched with nerves, and a strange feeling of dread coming over her, she knocked on the window.

"Hey, are you okay?" she called through the glass, and getting no response. "Hello? Can you hear me?"

Max glanced through the window, and saw that the woman was slumped to the side, and blood was running down her neck, clumping in her blond hair. She sucked in her breath, and backed away from the car. Running back to her jeep she reached for her cell phone.

"Shit, Max," she said to herself. "How do you get into these situations? Can't even take advantage of your own medical leave."

Glancing back towards the other car, she dialed the sheriff's station.

**2222222222222**

Max heard the sirens before she saw the squad cars. Eyes closed, she tried to block the sight of the dead woman from her thoughts. Something was familiar about her, but she couldn't put her finger on it. A brief image flashed in her mind, but quickly faded. She rubbed her face, trying to clear her head. Glancing at the sedan again, Max felt dread and knew that this was something big. Here we go she thought, as the squad cars pulled up. Kenny is going to strangle me for getting involved in this, and not be lying on the couch, letting myself heal.

"Max," Jimmy called walking towards her. "What's going on here? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she said a lot more confidently then she felt. "I was driving home from my check up, and this car was here. I saw it on my way, but that was a two hours ago. I stopped because I didn't think that anyone would just sit here for two hours. There's a woman inside, she's not moving and there's blood."

"Any sign of foul play?"

"I didn't want to touch anything, so I didn't look," Max said, "But nothing has been moved, and the door lock were up."

"Did you see anything, anyone?"

"No. Barely anyone drives these back roads," she said, as the other squad car pulled up.

Kenny and Skeeter walked towards her, and she could see the concern in Kenny's eyes that he was trying to keep hidden while at work. He needs to stop worrying about me.

"You can't stay out of trouble, can you," Skeeter said with a grim smile and he gestured towards the car.

"Guess not."

"You okay?" Kenny asked evenly as Jimmy went to check out the car, and Skeeter radioed Carter Pike to bring his team out, he lowered his voice. "Shit, Max. When Jimmy said that you called about a dead body….. What are you doing out here, alone?"

"Coming home from seeing Jill, I had a check up," Max said feeling annoyed at him for his coddling. "I'm not a child, I can go outside alone. I'm not going to break, Kenny, okay? You know me better than that."

He stared at her for a moment, not wanting to push her more then he had been. "Sorry for worrying."

Groaning inwardly, and not wanting to push him away. "This isn't the time to talk. I have a bad feeling about this one."

"Kenny," Jimmy called waving him over.

Max squeezed his hand. "Go ahead, you have a job to do. I'll wait over here."

She leaned up against her jeep, and watched as Kenny and Jimmy dusted the car for prints, and open the door. Cringing just a bit, she saw them step back after opening the door, and then the smell hit her. Rotting human flesh and Max swallowed back her desire to vomit. Jimmy closed the car door, and waved her over. Reluctantly she walked over to the three men.

"Did you get a good look at her?" Jimmy asked quietly.

Max shook her head. "I saw that she was dead, and I back away pretty quickly too call it in. She seems familiar though, I can't put my finger on it. I didn't look at her face."

Jimmy sighed, looking his pale, thin, and still recovering deputy over. Keep her out of it, he thought, she shouldn't be here. "We're going to wait for Carter to make a positive id. She's been dead for awhile, by the smell."

Max nodded, grateful to be doing something besides sitting on the couch. "Do you have any idea who she is?"

"I want to wait to make a positive id," Jimmy repeated neutrally glancing at Kenny and Skeeter. "You're right, she looks familiar, the plates are gone, or we'd run them now."

Carter pulled up then, and rushed towards them. "What's going on here? Is she dead?"

"Looks that way," Jimmy said. "Take her to the morgue."

"Autopsy?" Carter asked.

"Yes, I want to know how this woman died. There's no id in the car, no prints, and the face is obliterated. Max is right, she seems familiar."

"I thought you were on medical leave," Carter said, pulling on his gloves. "Can't stay away from the action."

"It seems to follow me," Max said looking away from the body in the car, and wrapping her arms around herself.

Carter opened the door, and his team began the process of removing the body, and Max caught a fleeting glance of the woman without a face. Grimacing, and again burying the urge to vomit, she followed the others back to the squad cars.

"I want an official statement from you," Jimmy told her.

"Not a problem," Max said evenly.

She watched as Kenny and Skeeter marked the scene, and others arrived to begin the investigation. Carter loaded the body into the van, and Max felt oddly out of place. She leaned back against her jeep, knowing that no one would let her do anything, but she couldn't bring herself to leave. Something didn't feel right about this, and she didn't want to leave until everything was done.

"Max," Kenny said, as the car was towed away. "C'mon, you can go. We're done here."

"I know," she said. "Something doesn't feel right. Maybe I'm just crazy."

They stood in the gathering darkness, as most of the other squad cars left, leaving them, Jimmy and Skeeter. Kenny wrapped one arm around her waist, and pulled her closer to him. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and drew comfort from his closeness. Images of the faceless woman rose to her conscious mind, and she willed herself not to think of it. Her dreams were strange enough as it was.

Jimmy wandered over and pointed to her. "You. Go home. I know you're supposed to be resting. Kenny, follow her, make sure she gets there safely. Max, lock your doors, I'm going to send a car by to make sure everything is okay."

"I'll be fine," she groaned. "I think I can take care of myself."

"Humor them," Skeeter said rolling his eyes at her.

Max nodded, and climbed into her jeep. She drove back to her apartment, and Kenny pulled up behind her. Climbing down from her jeep, she watched the last of the light disappear from the sky. Kenny held his hand out to her, and they walked silently into her place.

"I'm going to make sure no one's here," he said. "Wait here."

Rolling her eyes at his departing bulk, she flipped through her mail. Like I'm two years old, she thought, but finding his concern sweet. Kenny was many things, but not sweet, Max reasoned, so it was nice to see that.

"All clear?" she asked when he reappeared.

"Yeah, thought it would be," he said pulling her close to him and pressing his lips to hers. "Max, I wish I could stay, but…"

"I wish you could too," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck, and kissing him softly. "But this is Rome. A dead body equals high drama here. Go, find out what happened."

"Love you," he said kissing her again. God, I want to stay here with her. "Lock your doors. I'll be back when we're finished."

Max waved as he walked out to the car, and locked the door behind her. A shiver ran down her spine as she thought of the body.

"God, she seemed familiar." Max said aloud to herself, and thought back to the scene. "Nothing."

Flipping on the television, she settled in for a night of reruns while her friends worked to find out he killed the faceless blond haired woman.


	4. Someone is watching

Max sprawled out on the couch after Kenny left, half watching a rerun of The Simpsons, and running the details of the crime scene through her mind. The faceless woman, there was something at the edge of her memory that was teasing her. What, she thought, what am I supposed to be remembering here? The car, concentrate on the car. So it was missing plates, but other then that it seemed was untouched. No footprints, or tire tracks around the scene. It was like she appeared out of no where.

"This is Rome," she said aloud. "I know strange things happen here, this shouldn't see so odd to me. Seriously, I've seen cows give birth to humans here."

Still, the dead woman weighed heavily on her mind, as she went to find something for dinner.

**44444444444444444**

"Any information on the car?" Jimmy asked Kenny, after he punched it all into the computer.

"Not yet, no plates, registration, and the VIN numbers were filed off. I went through the car theft and missing person reports, but so far nothing that adds up," Kenny said looking up from his paperwork.

"Hmm," Jimmy thought. "Keep looking, we lifted some good prints, but it'll take awhile. Carter's starting a preliminary exam, so he should find something."

Nodding, Kenny went back to the computer. An involuntary shiver shot down his spine, and thought back to what Max said earlier. That this didn't feel right, and he knew that Max's gut feelings were usually right on. The Green Bay Chopper, Cupid, the Snake Lady, she was right on a lot of the time, he acknowledged. Max, don't do anything dumb he thought, because he also knew that she would rush into a situation without totally thinking it through all the way. Kenny flipped through the files, and prayed that he found a logical solution to this. They had a killer out there, one that brutally tore off a woman's face, and left her on the side of the road. He didn't want anyone else to get hurt, and the savage nature of the attack weighed heavily in his chest, as he continued to pore over the files in front of him.

**44444444444444444**

Max threw her half eaten sandwich in the trash, her appetite ruined by images of the dead woman. Who could eat while thinking about that, she thought humorlessly to herself. Wrapping her hooded black sweatshirt tighter around herself, she flopped back on the couch, and flipped through the channels. Flipping off the light, she fell asleep to the news.

"Look who is back," Howard called, walking towards her. "I saw that you had an interesting day. Do you know who the woman is?"

"Howard," Max said warily, not sure if she was glad to see him or not. "Am I going to see you every time I go to sleep?"

"I miss Rome," he said sadly. "It's nice to talk to someone from there. How is Kevin doing, is my son okay?"

"He's happy," Max said. "I saw him a few months ago, and he seems healthy, but he misses his Dad."

"My mind would have rotted if I hadn't died," Howard said distantly. "And Kevin got my heart. It was the right thing."

Max nodded, as he turned back towards her. "I don't remember any of this when I wake up. Is this just some strange dream?"

"It's what you make of it," Howard replied. "I always liked you, Maxine, you can think of me as your guardian angel if you like. This woman is only the first, and the killer is someone you used to know. He's coming closer, and he's watching. Revenge, that's what he wants. Women have angered him deeply. He's lost the two that he loved. You all know him."

"Tell me who he is," Max cried. "Howard! We can stop him before he kills someone else! No one deserves to die the way that woman did!"

He smiled sadly. "I can't do that because the people in charge don't allow it. Be careful, Maxine, remember the past and embrace the present."

"Howard," she cried again, as he drifted away. "Come back! Please tell me!"

"Max, hey Max," she heard a name being called. "Wake up, you're having a nightmare, Honey."

She bolted upright on the couch, pushing the intruding hands away. Shaking her head, she saw Kenny stumble back. He looked at her with surprise, as he caught himself on the chair.

"Max?" he asked again, taking a tentative step towards her. "You alright?"

"Kenny?" she said, trying to clear the fog out of her mind. "I'm sorry, I was having the strangest dream."

He sat down beside her, and she turned to face him. "About what? You were yelling at someone."

Max struggled to recall the fading images. "Yelling? I remember I was talking to someone, and he was trying to warn me. I don't know about what. It seemed so real, but it's all fading."

"It's just a dream," Kenny said gently, putting his arm around her. "It's been a long day."

"Yeah," she agreed, snuggling closer. "Did you find anything out?"

"Nothing on the car. They're running the prints, and Carter's doing a prelim exam, and he'll autopsy tomorrow."

"Maybe he'll find something," Max said distantly, still trying to recall her dream and knowing that it was important that she did. Something about remembering the past, someone from her past? Someone who was hurt so much they wanted revenge? She glanced up at Kenny. "Who could do that to another person? I think I should be used to it by now, after all these years….some things still catch my by surprise."

"I'd be more concerned if you weren't bothered by it," Kenny replied, dropping a kiss on top of her head. "I know I was. We've both seen so much crap on this job, Max."

"People can be so cruel to each other," she agreed. "This is small town America, these things aren't supposed to happen here, but they do."

"That's why were here, to find out who does them. We do make a difference," Kenny said. "We'll solve this one."

"We always do," Max said, finding comfort in his presence.

**44444444444444444**

"Semen!" Carter exclaimed, charging into Jimmy's office the next morning. "And vaginal bruising! This woman was raped before she was killed, and I can prove it!"

Jimmy and Kenny glanced at each other, as Carter came in, his face awash with excitement over his findings. "We have his DNA!"

"Carter," Jimmy said calmly. "Have a seat, Kenny close the door."

Carter continued, as he paced around the small room. "Her face was severed with an unusual blade, very jagged edges, and the same knife was used for the stab wounds. This is big, Jimmy, very big. He sliced opened her breasts, ripped into her blindly. Rage was used for these wounds. I've never seen anything like this."

"Her prints came back," Jimmy said evenly, as Carter finished. "It was Rebecca Parker. Laurie's interpreter."

Carter sat there, too stunned to speak.

"Why would someone do that? She was so sweet," Carter trailed off.

"That's what we're going to find out," Jimmy continued.

"She had some new boyfriend that no one had met yet," Kenny said. "We're going to try track him down."

"Laurie doesn't know who he is," Carter asked. "I guess she's been busy with the baby and all."

"We're running all the prints in the car, but it seems clean besides Rebecca's," Kenny said.

"I want this guy before he does this again," Jimmy proclaimed. "Kenny, take a team out to her house. I want it torn apart, anything to track down the boyfriend. I want her friends questioned; I'm going to talk to Laurie. Carter, anything you find one the body I want to know about. We're getting this guy."

**44444444444444444**

"It turned up nothing," Kenny told Max later that night, "Nothing."

"What about Carter?" she asked, as he wrapped his strong arms around her. "He didn't find anything on the body?"

Kenny looked at her, and debated telling her. She was coming back to work in a few days anyway, so she would find out eventually he reasoned. Plus it was Max, she was a cop, and he knew she would be pissed if he coddled her too much.

"He found stuff," Kenny replied vaguely. "Semen. Some hair, he's trying to find a DNA match."

"Poor girl," Max said sadly, sinking onto the couch next to him. "Why her?"

"Wrong place, wrong time, maybe," Kenny said. "There are a lot of crazies out there. It could be the boyfriend. Laurie said they were meeting at his lake house for the week. Rebecca gave her the address and phone number, but it's just an empty lot."

"Shit," Max said, thinking about the scene again. "How's Laurie taking it?"

"Not good, they were close."

"Hopefully there'll be a DNA match."

"Yeah," he said, pulling her closer and purposefully changing the subject. "Looking forward to coming back?"

"Immensely. I'm bored, and you know I love my work," Max replied. "I know I'll be riding a desk for awhile."

"You can do all my paperwork," Kenny said, just to needle her. "I left a pile of it while you were in the hospital. I've missed you, Partner."

"Really?" she drawled. "Well, we can discuss that later. Right now, I want you to kiss me."

Kenny grinned wickedly at her, and pulled her into his arms.

**44444444444444444**

Max sat in the nearly empty office a few days later, and stared at the pile of paperwork in front of her. Does anyone fill this out, she thought. True to his word, Kenny had the most. Sighing to herself, and shaking her cramped hand she continued to fill out forms, somewhat resentful of not being out on the streets. She wanted this nut as badly as anyone, especially since she found the body.

They were no closer to finding the killer then they had been the week before, and poor Rebecca was lying in the morgue. No one wanted to release her body yet, and Carter and Jimmy were getting calls from an extremely pissed off family who wanted to bury her. It was somewhat strange being back in the office after six weeks, but she felt at home again. Finishing up another case file, she piled it on top of the others as the phone rang.

"Nine-one-one, what's your emergency?" she asked calmly, as Skeeter began filing the finished reports.

"Oh, God, Oh, God," a woman shrieked into the phone. "Please, you have to send someone quickly, please."

"Maam, I need you to calm down," Max said keeping her voice even. "Can you tell me what is going on? Are you alright?"

The woman gave a strangled sob, as Max noted the name and address of the caller.

"I," the woman sobbed. "I found a dead body in my driveway. Oh, shit. There's so much blood. I reached down to see if I could wake her up, but I couldn't."

Max swallowed, and Skeeter moved closer to listen in. "Stay calm. I have your address Mrs. Carpenter, and I'll send a squad car over now."

"Okay," she sobbed. "Please, hurry."

"I'll stay on the line with you until they arrive," Max said soothingly, as Skeeter hopped on the radio. "I want you to take deep breaths. Is anyone there with you?"

"I sent my children upstairs, I didn't want them to see that," she gasped. "God, she had no face."

Skeeter's head snapped back around at that comment and Max had to fight to keep her composure. "The police are on their way Mrs. Carpenter, keep talking to me."

Max listened to her strangled sobs, and tried to keep her calm until she heard the sirens through the phone.

"The police are here," Mrs. Carpenter gasped, and Max heard the voices in the background. "Thank you for waiting with me."

"Not a problem," Max replied. "They'll take care of everything."

She hung up the phone then, and turned to Skeeter.

"No face?" he asked.

"That's what she said," Max replied slowly.

Max and Skeeter muddled through the paperwork, and listened to the radio transmissions from the Carpenter house. A female, face carved away, and a mutilated body. Presumably dumped here sometime in the night, and there were no footprints or tire tacks again.

"Oh god," Carter's voice exploded through the system, followed by a moaning sob. "It's Sue, can't you see it? Sue!"


	5. Getting Closer

Carter was inconsolable, he broke down over the dead body, and refused to leave her there. Jimmy and Kenny practically had to pry Sue's corpse out of his arms, so that the rest of the medical team could take her to morgue.

**555555555555555555555555**

Max met Kenny's gaze as he and Jimmy came back to the station a few hours later. Pale, with dark circles under his eyes, Max ached to embrace him and hold him close to her. Jimmy didn't look much better, and she knew that Carter was home sedated. Everything seemed to be falling apart, her friends were dying, and she had almost died six weeks ago.

"How's Carter?" she asked Kenny quietly.

He turned towards her, with that pained expression in his blue eyes and shook his head. "Not good. He shouldn't have had to see her like that."

Max squeezed his hand under the desk. "I know."

"Kenny, Max," Jimmy called. "My office, now."

They exchanged a quick glance, and filed in. Jimmy sat behind his desk, and the lines on the face were set in stone. He was burying his pain the same way they were, and they all knew that it would take Carter along time to get over this.

"I spoke with the authorities in Green Bay, and they ran these cases through their computers. They've had nothing similar in this area," Jimmy began. "They are rushing the DNA taken from the semen on Rebecca, and Carla is going to send them some from Sue to see if they match. I want you two to find out everything in these women's pasts. Anything that would tie them together, I don't care how insignificant it may seem. Max, are you cleared?"

"Yes," she said. "Trust me, I'm fine."

"Good," Jimmy said. "Both of you go, now."

**5555555555555555**

Max paced around Kenny's apartment, her mind racing, as he grabbed two beers from the kitchen. They had spent hours that afternoon poring over the two women's histories and setting up interviews for the following day, but nothing seemed to connect them together besides living in Rome and being female. The shock of losing two friends so close together fueled Max's desire to get this guy. She didn't get close to people to easily, and she refused to lose anyone else.

Kenny watched her furrowed expression, and tried not to worry about her taking on too much too soon. I know her, he thought to himself, she'll go after this guy full out even if it kills hurt. Remembering Carter's collapse at scene, and almost losing Max all those weeks ago, he vowed that he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her now. He didn't know if he could handle it.

"Have a seat," he said, handing her a beer. "You've worked hard all day, take a break."

Max shot him a look, and let him pull her down on the couch next to him. Popping the top of her beer, she took a long swallow before replying. "I keep thinking about Carter. I don't know how he can deal with this, he was so crazy about her."

"Yeah," Kenny agreed. "You want to go check up on him?"

Max nodded. "I don't think he should be alone. I know Bone's with him, but he might need someone to talk to."

"Let's go."

**5555555555555555**

"Someone killed Sue!" Matthew Brock exclaimed. "Carter Pike's girlfriend, gross. I heard they cut off all of her extremities, and replaced them with"

"Matthew," Jill snapped, cutting off his litany. "Stop. Now. A woman is dead, show some respect!"

"I bet it was Chuck Dante," Zach said. "He was so mad that his show got cancelled after Max got shot, so he just went crazy."

"Enough," Jimmy said. "Both of you."

"C'mon Dad," Matthew whined. "Who do you think did it? This is Rome, it's probably someone weird, like a midget who lives in a cave with a killer nun, and only eats potatoes. Or someone else just snapped."

"Matthew, go upstairs," Jimmy commanded after his son listed of traits of some of the most bizarre cases he had ever come across. Stress, too much stress, he thought. Small town America, what happened? I'm supposed to be keeping this place safe, and mayors are getting shot, women are being killed, and my own sons think it's some big joke. What is happening to the world?

**5555555555555555**

"Hello, Your Honor," Max said when Henry Bone opened the door at the same time the Brock boys were coming up with their own murder suspects. "We came to see how Carter is."

Henry eyed the young couple for a moment, and noted that despite the concern and worry he saw in their eyes, they looked quite happy together. At least something is going right, the judge thought.

"He's not good," Henry replied. "On sofa, in the living room. He won't talk to me, so good luck to the two of you. He keeps yelling out for Sue."

"He didn't deserve this," Kenny said, tightening his arm around Max's shoulders. He didn't know that he would have fared much better then Carter if he had lost her.

"Come on in, see if you can do something for him," Bone said sadly, leading them into the living room. "I'll be upstairs if you need anything."

They stood in the threshold, and saw Carter in the fetal position on the couch. He clutched a throw pillow between his hands, and Max winced at strangled sobs that were coming from him. He looked utterly devastated, and like he had lost everything that was important to him. Moving hesitantly, and not really sure what to say, they made their way slowly into the room.

"Carter?" Max said softly, not knowing what to say next.

"We just wanted to see if you were all right," Kenny finished lamely.

He looked up from his misery, eyes blurred by pain and hissed. "All right? Of course I'm not all right."

Max gulped at the venom in is words, and felt Kenny pull her closer to his side as Carter continued. "Why Sue? She never did anything…. I love her."

"We don't why," Kenny started before he was cut off.

"Well find out," Carter raged, leaping from the couch. "I'm never going to sleep again without seeing her…like that! The least you could do is find out who did this! I don't want sympathy! I don't want to talk about it! I want her back! Some of us don't get second chances!"

"Okay," Max said weakly, as Carter collapsed back onto his seat, and buried his head in his hands. "You know that we're here though."

Carter looked up at his two friends, and tried to make sense out of it all. Their arms around each other, providing some comfort to the other. He stifled a moan at never having that comfort again, willing his voice not to shake. "Just find out."

**5555555555555555555555**

Silently Max and Kenny entered his apartment after sitting with Carter for awhile longer. Nothing either of them said made a difference, so the three just sat in silence. Bone had joined them after awhile, and Carter eventually drifted off to sleep. Heart heavy, she sunk into the sofa cushions. She studied Kenny, as he collapsed down next to her. He's been so good to me, Max thought as she had for the past few weeks. So protective, even to the point of annoying her. Since the first night she was home from the hospital, they hadn't tried much physical contact besides cuddling together. And knowing Kenny how she did, Max knew that it was difficult for him to do that. For her too, they were both very physical people. With a sudden desire to be held, just be consumed by something besides the sadness and hurt of the past few months, Max shifted so she was facing him.

Kenny turned to look at her, and she took his face in hands as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Max leaned in closer, and brought her mouth to his, gently at first, then with ardent hunger. Throwing her arms around his neck, she pulled him in even closer and devoured his mouth with hers. Groaning, Kenny responded by slipping his hands up the back of her sleeveless blue shirt and lowering his head to her neck. Max let out a deep moan, as his hands found her breasts and he lifted her shirt off. Pulling away slightly, he stared at her body with blatant admiration in his eyes. Max subconsciously placed her hand over the still fresh scar, as Kenny leaned in to kiss her again. Max pushed back his shirt, several buttons popping off as she did. She ran her hand over his broad chest, and slowly began to work her mouth up it.

"Max!" he gasped, as she slipped her hands into the waistband of his jeans and slowly unfastened them.

Grinning wickedly up at him, he pushed her down onto the couch, and he slowly laid down on top of her. Looking into each other's eyes, all Max wanted to was have him touch her. She reached up and ran her fingers through his silky hair, as he worked his way down her torso with his tongue and she pushed his pants off with her leg. She felt her pants slip off, and felt the familiarity of their flesh meeting. Eyes locking once more, Kenny slid into her, and she groaned.

**5555555555555555**

"I can't move," Max breathed awhile later, as they still lay there naked on the couch. Slowly, she traced the contours of his chest, as he held her. Her body still tingling from being with him, she rested her head on his shoulder.

Fingering Max's growing out hair, Kenny's eyes fixed on the still angry looking scar on her abdomen. Raw, and dulling to a pinkish color, it served him as a reminder of what he had almost lost. Resting his other hand just above the scar, he breathed in that unique scent that was all hers, and just enjoyed that perfect moment of being together.

"Yeah, well, I don't want to move," he said back, leaning in and kissing her again. "I want to stay on this couch with you for the rest of my life.

Max grinned at him, and they momentarily forgot about all that was wrong with the world.

**5555555555555555**

"Same knife that was used before and the markings are almost identical," Carla Stephenson, Carter's assistant, proclaimed. "I'm going to send off the hair, semen and fibers today, but my gut tells me that they'll match with the others. How is Carter doing?"

"He's a mess," Max replied, averting her eyes from the corpse on the table. It was one thing looking at a dead stranger, but it was completely different when it was a friend. "Not that I blame him."

Carla nodded, her curly hair escaping from her ponytail. "His last time seeing her…Shit."

"Yeah," Max agreed, twisting Carla's report in her hands. "Thanks for the report. Anything else that comes in, let us know okay?"

"Of course," Carla said, heading back towards the morgue. "I want this guy stopped too. For the victims, Carter, and anyone else who might cross his path."

**5555555555555555555**

"The hair, fibers and semen match," Jimmy told Max, Kenny and Skeeter a few days later. "But we all knew they probably would."

The nodded silently in agreement as he continued. "Nothing to tie these two women together?"

"Nothing besides the fact they lived in the same town," Skeeter said. "They weren't anything more then casual acquaintances to each other."

Max's head shot up as an idea sparked in her brain. "But we all knew them pretty well, Rebecca was always with Laurie, and Sue with Carter."

"So?" Kenny asked, not seeing where she was going with this.

"So," Max continued. "That could be the connection, that they're tied to us. Think about it! The tie got closer with the second victim too, it's like who ever this is moving closer."

"It's possible," Jimmy conceded. "And it's the only plausible angel so far."

"So, who's he going to target?" Skeeter asked inevitably, as the phone rang.


	6. Revelations

"Take her," Jimmy called an hour later, as the Carla carted off another massacred body to the morgue. He watched as his deputies taped off of the crime scene, and question the people that found the body. How was he going to tell Jill, Jimmy thought as the morgue van pulled away. She better hear it from him, than anyone else. Three murders in less then two weeks and the press were beginning to have a field day. More death in Rome, Wisconsin. The town where mayors combust, cows give birth, and priests collect shoes. He watched as Kenny bent over a bush by where the body lay, and waved him over.

"Jimmy, come take a look at this," he called, as the crime scene photographer snapped a picture. Jimmy walked briskly over to the young deputy, and saw immediately what had caught Kenny's attention. A medical alert bracelet was tangled in the limbs of the bush, and it looked like it had been torn off by shear force. Blood had splattered across the numbers and name, but it gave them their first tangible piece of evidence to finding out who the killer was. The two men carefully removed it from the brush, and sealed it up.

Max had finished up interviewing the two hikers that had found the body, and they had heard nor seen nothing when they stumbled upon this rotting corpse. Burying her feelings about this one, she gently prodded answers out of them. Skeeter and she had helped them back into their car, took their information, and promised them that they would be in touch soon.

Kenny beckoned her over, as they climbed back up the path. Gratefully, she moved over to his side, and looking up at him she could tell that something was finally going right in this investigation.

"Well?" she asked, wanting him to wrap his arms around her, but knowing that this wasn't the time or place, as Jimmy and Skeeter joined them,

"They're going to clean up the bracelet in the morgue," Jimmy said, as he got off his radio and nodded at Kenny. "I'm going to go tell Jill, fill these two in and check out any hospital releases in the last month."

**666666666666666**

"No," Jill whispered, as Jimmy filled her in on the last murder. His tone was flat and expressionless, hoping to blot out some of the pain that this was bound to come, but knowing that it wouldn't do any good. "Are you sure? They have no faces…."

Jimmy nodded sadly. "Her car was in the parking lot, and we found her purse in the woods."

Jill sat down on the edge of her desk, as her husband just stood in front of her, not knowing what to say. He reached out, and just held her. Sometimes words just weren't enough.

"We fought so much," Jill trailed off. "But she could make me laugh. Such raw energy…. She had her own style."

Jimmy nodded, as Jill fell quiet again.

**666666666666666**

"Bracelet is back," Carla said, clutching the bag as she sauntered into Jimmy's office. "The name is faded, but still readable. Same with the id number. Does it look familiar to you?"

Jimmy took the bag gingerly from her, and paled considerably by what he saw. Muttering a curse, he looked out at Max, and at Kenny, and knew what he had to tell them both would be devastating.

"Keep this quiet," he ordered Carla. "I mean that."

"Of course," she agreed,. "Tell Jill how sorry I am about Joey, I know they were good friends."

Jimmy nodded, still studying his two deputies, as Carla went back to the morgue to finish Joey's autopsy. Max, still somewhat too thin from the hospital, with that mop of strawberry blond hair. Her head tucked, as she made notes about a witness coming in the next day. He sighed, she was like a daughter to him, and he didn't want anything else to hurt her, she had been through enough recently. He shifted his gaze to Kenny, who he knew would protect Max at the expense of anything. Jimmy knew if anything happened to her, Kenny wouldn't be the same. He saw the burgeoning relationship between them, and he'd seen it for years. Almost sadly, he called them into his office. He watched them settle into the chairs in front of his desk, and studied them one last time before he spoke. The contentment in their eyes, despite the murders in town. How he was thrilled that they were finding some joy with each other. He knew that this would blow things apart for them, and he hoped that they could hold it together for their own sake.

"We got a name off of the bracelet, and I called the hospital where it came from," he began, as they both sat up slightly. "It came from a psychiatric hospital in Milwaukee, called Cornerstones. I called them, and they confirmed that this man had escaped several weeks ago."

"And he came here?" Kenny said, as Jimmy paused again.

"Yes," Jimmy agreed. "They just faxed his picture over. We know him."

"We do?" asked Max, feeling her stomach flutter. This can't be good, she thought, the shit is about to hit the fan.

"Yes," Jimmy said again. "The bracelet belongs to a Danny Shreve."

Max inhaled sharply at the name, and the room seemed to spin. Danny, she thought. Danny? An image of his angry, twisted face came to mind, and the sound of his name was enough to feel the worst about herself. What I let him do to me, she thought. She was aware of Kenny and Jimmy's presence in the room, but her mind flew back to two years before. When she pushed all of her friends away, and the way she had treated them.

_ "I don't need you rushing in to save me," she had snapped at Kenny. "I don't need your protection."_

"Max?" Kenny asked cautiously, watching the emotions chase across her face. He reached out for her because he had known how this jerk treated her. Protocol be damned, he thought. What he had did to them both, driving a wedge between them.

_ "Friendship? A partner she has kissed? One who thinks about her while masturbating," Danny said with a malicious grin. "Someone who just wants to make her another conquest?"_

_ "What did you just say?" Kenny said, his voice dripping with venom. Max, I can't believe you would tell him that._

_ "Maybe you need a session on my couch," Danny continued. "Don't forget to bring the twins along."_

"Um, are you sure?" Max asked lamely, trying to find her footing again. "Could it be a coincidence?"

_ "You want me to quit my job?" she asked Danny incredulously. "These people are like my family."_

_ "That is the problem Max," he said soothingly. "Jimmy Brock treating you like a daughter. Protecting you, doesn't allow you to grow." _

_ Taking a deep breath Max met his eyes. "Danny, maybe we should take a break. I need a little space."_

_ "No," he said forcefully, laying his hand on her shoulder. "That would be the worst thing for your mental health."_

_ "I thought you weren't my doctor anymore?" she whispered, wanting to flee from him._

_ "I can't ignore what I see," he responded, moving closer to her chair._

_ Swallowing, Max stood up. "Good bye, Danny."_

"I'm sure," Jimmy said quietly, watching her trying to control her emotions.

Nodding, she said. "Let's get him then."

**666666666666666**

"You have to eat," Kenny said later that night, worried about the way the nervous way she paced around her apartment, and he didn't like the wild look in her eyes.

She shot him a dark look. "I'm not hungry."

He walked across the room to her, but she shied away from being touched. He could see in her face that she was haunted by memories of Danny, and he knew that wasn't good. All the doubt about herself that Danny had put into her mind was coming back full force. The way that she looked at him just then, and the way that she was holding herself, made Kenny want to smack the guy again.

"Max," he tried again, not really sure what to say to her. "Don't do this to yourself."

"Do what?" she snapped, spinning around to face him.

He saw the fear in her eyes, and when he looked closer guilt. She wrapped her arms around herself, and sunk into a chair.

"This isn't your fault," Kenny said, kneeling in front of her, careful not to touch her. "You have to know that?"

Max shook her head. "He wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me. Hell, he wouldn't have been in that hospital…. Rebecca, Sue, Joey, they should still be here."

"You didn't kill them," Kenny said softly. "He did, and he's sick, Honey. He was sick before he even met you. Don't let him do this to you again."

"He's still out there," she replied lowly. "And he has to know that we know, he'll notice that he's missing his bracelet. He'll be getting desperate."

"He'll make a mistake then," Kenny replied carefully. "We'll get him, Max. He's not going to hurt anyone else."

Max nodded, and let Kenny pull her into his arms, and whispered. "I love you."

**666666666666666666666**

Max lay in her bed, and listened to Kenny snore beside her. She knew that he was still worried about her, and she was worried too. Max turned over on her side, and studied the man that she loved. Strong, kind, protective, honest, caring, loyal, she listed off, and incredibly sexy and handsome. Max knew that he would support her in anything she chose to do, even if he didn't agree with it. Arguing has been a staple in this relationship she thought. Rolling out of bed, restless, she made her way into the kitchen in search of something chocolate.

Happy, with a bowl of rocky road, Max flipped aimlessly through the stations on the television. I know Kenny means well, she thought to herself, her thoughts drifting back to their earlier conversation, but I do blame myself. Yeah, Danny has some problems, but he wouldn't be killing people in my life if it weren't for me. I wish I had seen what everyone had been telling me earlier. Maybe then this wouldn't be happening.

_"I just want to talk to you," Danny pleaded, as she leapt from her seat in the coffee room. "Please, Max. Just listen to me."_

_"I think you should go," Max replied quickly, watching for any sign of life out there._ _Help, she thought, help. Kenny, I do need you to rush into save me now. I'm an idiot._

_ "No, you need me!" he cried, moving closer, and pushing her against the file cabinets. "I need you!"_

_ Max's shoulders ached from being held that tightly and the wild desperation in his eyes scared her more than the physical contact. Slowly she moved her hand down towards her holster. Anything to get him away from her._

_ She pointed the gun at him. "You're under arrest."_

_ "You need me," he moaned sinking to the ground. "You need me."_

"What was I thinking?" she asked aloud to herself, staring up at the ceiling. She pulled the blanket up to her chin, and curled up in the darkness of the living room.

**666666666666666**

The doctors at Cornerstones weren't very helpful, and they refused to turn over any of Danny's records. They believed in the doctor patient confidentiality agreement, and stubbornly dug their feet in. Max tried to bury her feelings of guilt and concentrate on her job, but thoughts of what if were always on the fringes of her thoughts. Consciously, she knew that no one blamed her for this, and that Danny had problems way before they had ever gotten involved. Giving herself a mental shake, she turned back to the information that they had. Which wasn't very much.

"Max," Jimmy called, beckoning her into his office. Watching his young deputy, he noted that she looked tired and stressed, but was doing a valiant effort to hide it. "Have a seat."

Jimmy settled behind his desk, and paused before continuing. "First off, this isn't your fault. You know that as well as anybody else."

"I know," Max replied. "But."

"No, buts," Jimmy interrupted. "I'll pull you from this investigation if you keep thinking that way."

Her head snapped up at that, and he could see some of that familiar fire return to her eyes. Jimmy silently patted himself on the back for saying that right thing just then.

"That said," he continued. "You know more about Danny Shreve than the rest of us."

"I'm not sure what I could tell you," Max began slowly. "He's controlling, and most people don't see that at first. I didn't. He can charm his way in, he says the right things, and he can get into your head. He can pick up on your worst fears, and turn you against yourself. I can see him running into one of these women, and convincing them to give him a ride, or have dinner. He's angry, he had it buried deep within him two years ago. When his wife died, he said he didn't think he could handle losing anyone else again."

"And he lost you," Jimmy replied softly, as she paused to catch her breath.

"Yeah. Women in general have hurt and left him," Max continued, trying to separate herself from her memories of Danny and be objective. "Cutting off their faces and raping them, he's trying to control them. Show how strong he is."

"Pretend that they're someone else," Jimmy finished for her. Max nodded, although she really didn't want too. "Where would he go?"

"He has to be somewhere close," Max replied, turning the evidence over in her mind. "All the bodies were found so far apart. Millers Road, the Carpenter House, the park. We checked all of the hotels around, newly leased apartments, abandoned farms, even the old logger cabins haven't been used since last winter."

Jimmy came around his desk, and laid a fatherly hand on her shoulder. "You don't want to hear this, but I'm going to say it anyway, be careful."

Max nodded, and for once not feeling resentful of his concern. "I will be."

**666666666666666**

"Carter?" Kenny said, surprised, that night when he opened his door. "How you doing?"

Carter in a rumpled shirt and pair of pants shook his head. "I've been better. Is Max here? I want to talk to her."

"She's in the shower," Kenny replied seeing the mad light in Carter's eyes. "Have you been drinking?"

"Why shouldn't I?" he slurred. "I'm going to die alone!"

"Carter," he began, not sure where to go with this as Carter stumbled over to his couch. "Sit down. You're not going to die alone."

"Oh yeah? That bastard stole away Sue! She was the only one who loved me."

Kenny glanced up, and saw Max in one of his old tee-shirts and hair slicked back from her face. Hot, he thought, very hot. She met his gaze, and turned to the mess that was Carter Pike. He looked up then, and he glared at her. Max gulped, she had never seen Carter look so pissed, or be so drunk. He leaped up from the couch, and lunged at her. Max jumped back and Kenny grabbed him, as he stumbled over a table.

"Danny Shreve!" Carter hissed. "He did this?"

"We think so," Max said softly. "Carter, I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say or do for you. Or for Rebecca and Joey's families."

Carter stared at his longtime friend for a minute, and saw the heavy burden weighing in her face. He felt his anger fade, as he saw the same hurt and confusion in his friends that he felt. The loss of Sue left him with an empty void in his heart, but he didn't want to push two of his only friends away. Taking a deep breath, he sunk back on the sofa, his anger fading. Max and Kenny sat on either side of him, as he gathered himself together.

"This makes you feel like shit," Carter said finally.

"Yeah," Max agreed, wallowing in her guilt. "I would do anything to fix this."

That's what worries me, Kenny thought.


	7. The Return

The days went on in Rome Wisconsin, and over the next few weeks no new bodies showed up. The media frenzy surrounding the small town had begun to fade, and the townspeople began to breathe easier again. It was much simpler to move on when the images stopped being flashed on the television, and you weren't forced to read about a new body in the newspaper.

"He's still out there," Max said, and just because the public was calmer didn't mean they still weren't going to stop trying to track down Danny Shreve.

"He could've got scared and left. We did id him," Kenny argued.

Max shot him a look of disbelief, and knew he didn't believe that anymore than she did. Flipping the case folder closed, she leaned back at her desk and stretched. They were the only two left in the office, and they had been over the same evidence and thoughts for the past three hours. She could almost feel Danny watching her, and she had been toying with an idea for a few days. One that she knew that Kenny would try to talk her out of. Danny wanted her, and Max knew that she was the only one that would ever get him to come out of hiding. Far from stupid, she also knew that he would probably kill her after he had his way with her. All the patrol cars driving by her place wouldn't stop that. Feeling Kenny's arms around her every night provide so much comfort, but Max knew that this wasn't over yet.

"Kenny," she began, faltering. "He's here for me..."

"No," he said, sitting on the edge of her desk. "Don't even think about it."

Annoyance boiled up inside her. "Then what am I supposed to do? Just sit here and wait?"

"Max, we're going to get him," Kenny said, trying too not to lose his cool with her like this. "You're not running off half cocked after him!"

"I'm not going off half cocked," Max snapped back at him. "He's slaughtering women Kenny! Do you really want to wait until he does it again?"

"No," he snapped back. "I don't want him to do it to you! I almost lost you once to some nut with a gun, and I'm not about to let some crazy ex of yours…. I don't want to sit by your hospital bed again Max. Waiting for you to wake up. This is coming as your partner and boyfriend."

Max felt her heart breaking in her chest as she listened to him and after taking a deep breath. "I don't want that either. I just can't live with myself… If this was the other way around, one of your old girlfriends doing this, what would you do?"

Kenny held her gaze. "I would want you to try and stop me, and I wouldn't go alone."

"And you wouldn't listen to me," Max countered.

"Whatever you're planning, Max I'm begging you don't do it," Kenny said quietly. "And if you do, and I know you, I'm going with you."

Max nodded, as the night shift came in. "Okay."

**777777777777777**

"Go!" Max said a few days later. "Kenny!"

He watched her exasperated expression, and fought the urge to laugh. Looking away, so she wouldn't see his suppressed grin. Despite the grimness of the situation Kenny could see that she was getting pissed at him. Fighting with Max, he thought, it's usually fun. And a turn on to see her all heated up like that.

"You promise me you won't do anything," Kenny said, trying to sound stern. "Max, I mean it."

"Call me every hour if you want to," she cried, placing her hand on his chest. "Laurie and Carla are coming over, and we're going to sit here and just try to be normal for one night. Trust me, I'm not going to go and chase down Danny myself. You have my word! Go bowling, drink beer, and do whatever you guys do every Thursday! I don't need a baby-sitter!"

Kenny pulled her into his arms, and gazed down at her beautiful face. She tilted her chin up and stared right back at him, trying to stay mad, but not able to. Feeling the fight go out of herself, Max leaned into him. "I know you don't need a baby-sitter," he retorted. "As you pointed out, Danny's still around."

"I know that. I just want you to have a good time. We've been together every night for two months, I think you've earned a night out with the boys," Max replied. "And I need some girl talk time."

Max stood up on her toes, and kissed him softly. Kenny tightened his arms around her, and she leaned back to deepen to the kiss. Pulling away, reluctantly, they both grinned at each other. Kenny tucked her hair back before kissing her again. "I'm coming back over to take you to bed."

**777777777777777**

After Kenny left, Max quickly began picking up the mess in her apartment. God, she thought, after dumping a load of clothes in the washer, when was the last time I actually cleaned? She quickly piled the books on the shelf, and loaded the dishwasher. Tying off the last bag of garbage, she looked out at the gathering twilight.

"This is stupid," she said aloud. "I'm perfectly capable of taking the trash out. No one is waiting out there to kill me."

Throwing open her door, Max paused once more. I'm sure Rebecca, Sue, and Joey thought that too. Safe Rome Wisconsin. Walking briskly, she tossed the bag in the dumpster. And with a shudder, she turned and walked intentionally slower back inside. Locking the door behind her, Max tried to catch her breath. "See, nothing to be afraid of."

As she leaned back against the locked door, the phone screeched causing her to jump.

"Hello?" she said breathlessly, grabbing it.

"So you stayed put?" Kenny replied, trying to keep his voice light.

"Told you I would," Max replied, finding his protectiveness endearing and irritating at the same time. "Aren't you supposed to be bowling?"

"Can't help it if I want to talk to my gorgeous girlfriend," Kenny replied slowly.

"Oh, so I'm your girlfriend?" Max replied, dropping her voice an octave.

"Yeah, you got a problem with that?"

"No, none at all," Max replied, grinning into the phone. "Kenny, go bowling. I'll be naked when you come back."

"Love you,Honey."

"I love you too," Max said, as the words flowed easily out of her mouth. "I'll see you soon."

Tossing the cordless phone onto the couch, she shook her head. Usually she would be shoving for her space, but with Kenny he could crowd her and it just felt good, right, to be with him. The phone rang again, and she rolled her eyes as she grabbed it.

"Are you trying to drive me crazy?" she drawled into the phone in way of a greeting.

"Uh, Max?" Jimmy asked. "Is that you?"

"Jimmy? Hi, sorry. I thought you were someone else. What's going on?"

Jimmy paused, not knowing how to break it to her because he knew she already felt somewhat responsible for what was happening in Rome. "Max, another body showed up."

Max shuddered involuntarily before responding. "Do you know who it is?"

"Not yet. Carla's working on her," he replied. "Agent Morell is here, and they want to ask you some questions about Danny. Can you come down?"

"I'm on my way," she replied, trying to get back on an even keel. Grabbing her purse, Max rushed out into the darkening day.

**7777777777777777777777777**

Agent Morell paced in Jimmy's office, empty besides the two of them. All of the deputies were out at the crime scene, and Jimmy was keeping in touch via radio.

"This town," Morell murmured. "Every time I come here…"

Jimmy stood stoically by the window, and watched for Max. The body that Skeeter and Kneelson had found by the hockey pond had been even more cut up than the previous three. The face was carved down to the bone, with the flesh hanging off in chunks. Deep gash marks cut through the torso, and her genitals had been attacked. Even more strange was the fact that he had cut off the tips of her fingers and toes, so that making an id would be that much more difficult. Jimmy saw Max's jeep screech into the parking lot, and he had to wonder exactly how fast she had been driving to get here. He knew if she wasn't a cop, she would probably have more speeding tickets than anyone he ever knew.

Max sat in her car for a minute, and tried to collect herself before going into the office. Looking down at her worn and holey jeans and thin gray tee shirt, she realized she should have at least changed into something that looked a little better. Turning off the engine and throwing open her door, she thought about how much she wanted a cigarette. A disgusting habit she had given up in college. Slamming the door behind her, Max wandered into the building, as she felt the tension begin to build in the back of her neck.

Jimmy waved her into his office, and closed the door to the empty office behind them. Agent Morell eyed the young woman, noting that she looked thinner than the last time they had worked together, but also seeing the burning intensity in her eyes. She was pissed at this killer, and if he was indeed her ex-boyfriend, she no doubt felt responsible to get him.

"I read over Sheriff Brock's notes about what you said about Danny Shreve earlier," Morell started. "What else is there? He has a clean record, no signs of being a serial killer, but we all know that isn't always a determining factor."

"He wasn't very social after his wife died," Max said slowly. "When I met him, it was about five years later, and I don't think he had any other relationships, with anyone. He kept to himself, and in the whole time I knew him, I never met any of his friends."

"He had a relationship with you though," Morell said. "You were his patient, right? Did he date any of his other patients?"

Max shook her head. "He said no, but he could have. They were the only people he really saw."

"Do we know how his wife died?" Jimmy asked.

The room fell silent then, and Max realized that he never told her that. Strange, she thought, but he never volunteered anything about it. He was always talking to me, telling me what to do and how to act. Who I should talk to.

"All I knew about her was her name was Karen Shreve," Max said, breaking the silence. "You don't think he… killed her too?"

"Why not? He's killed four people in the past six weeks," Morell replied eyeing her. "And I want to know what he is planning to do with you."

Max swallowed at his bluntness, knowing it was a subject that people were skirting around. She knew that patrol cars drove by her place, and Kenny was practically glued to her side.

"The thought of seeing him again," Max trailed off. "He can get inside my head, and manipulate every thought, twist it just so. I know he's out there waiting, and he's someone I tried so hard to forget."

"No sign of an accomplice?" Morell said changing the subject.

"No," Jimmy agreed. "No physical evidence, and if he's as antisocial as Max says, he wouldn't have one anyway."

"Lets get him then," Morell replied, turning back to Max. "Could you handle seeing him again, Deputy?"

Max nodded, knowing what was coming. Kenny's going to kill me, she thought. Even after he gets my message, I know he doesn't want me to do this.

"I'm the bait," she replied softly.

"Max," Jimmy said carefully glaring at Morell for picking at her emotions like that, "I don't want to put you in a situation like that. Danny's nuts and we don't know what he is going to do."

This is just like the conversation Kenny and I had earlier Max thought. "I know he's crazy, I know that better than anyone."

"We're going to find out all we can about Karen Shreve first," Jimmy replied staring down Morell. "Talk to her family, find out about her relationship with her husband. We can't get his patient records, we've tried. Max, you're not doing anything until we finish that. Understand?"

Relief mixed with resentment of his concern for her, filled her mind, and Max wondered if he and Kenny had possibly talked about this very thing. "Okay."

"No argument," Jimmy asked surprised at her easy agreement. He knew that Max would usually dig her heels in at stuff like this, and not roll over.

"I want him stopped," she said evenly. "What he's doing is appalling, and the fact that he's doing this because of his relationship with me… I do feel responsible. He made me hate myself two years ago, and I know he blamed me for him being sent to Cornerstones. The idea of facing him, even with back up, yeah, it does scare me. I know I could handle it if it happened, but it's not something I'm looking forward too."

"Until tomorrow then," Morell said. "I'm going to get some sleep, and call back to Branch and have them dig up everything on a Karen Shreve."

"Walk you out?" Jimmy asked, as Max stood up. The sky had deepened to a velvet black, and the faint glow of stars was visible through the office windows.

"Sure," she agreed, not really wanting to be out there alone.

"Where's Kenny tonight?" he asked as they made their way out to the parking lot, knowing that they were together every night they were not working. "I thought you two were joined at the hip of late."

Max smiled into the darkness. "Bowling, I made him go. It's the first game of the season, and I practically had to push him out of my apartment. I was looking forward to a girl's night, but with Carla in the morgue and Laurie handling the press… I know he worries about me."

Jimmy didn't want to pry into their personal live, and he knew that Max was strung pretty tight these days, so he chose his next words carefully. "You've had a tough few months, and with Danny being back, Kenny isn't the only one worrying about you."

She glanced up at him then, but before she could respond, he crumpled to the ground.

"Jimmy!" she cried, falling to her knees. Her brain kicking into cop mode, she checked for any injuries, and she saw a dart sticking out of his shoulder. Max groped for his pulse, and found it nice and strong. Breathing, but unconscious she grabbed his radio.

"Hello Max," a voice growled behind her. "I've been waiting for you."


	8. Confrontations

**RATED R for adult themes and violence**.

"It's so good to see you again," the voice continued, as she pressed the talk button on Jimmy's radio. Roughly hands jerked her around to face him, as she locked the button into place. "Look at me!"

Max's fear gave way to anger, as she stared up at him. He pointed his gun at her, and stroked the trigger playfully. Leering he yanked her to her feet, and poked the butt of the gun against her chest. "Nothing to say?" He asked mockingly. "I'm so disappointed and angry with you. You're mine, you know that? You've always been mine, but you're just confused. Let me help you." He reached out to stroke her hair, still holding the gun against her chest.

"Don't touch me!" she yelled, pushing his hand away, wanting to run, but knowing that he would kill Jimmy if she did. Shielding his body with hers, she prayed that someone was hearing this transmission, and was coming. "Pleas,e Danny, don't do this."

He grabbed her wrist and yanked her up against his chest. "Don't fight me. You want me, you need , Max. I escaped that place so we could be together, like we should have been before. I know you didn't want to put me in there, they made you. Shh, don't fight me. I know what is best."

"Why?" she asked, her voice a ragged whisper. "Why did you kill all those woman?"

He twisted his mouth into a warped smile. "For you. I wanted your attention, and now I have it."

"Bastard! You sick, fucking bastard," Max yelled, hoping someone would hear her. "They would good people Danny! You want to kill someone? C'mon, let's end this right now."

Chuckling, he smashed his mouth against hers before replying. "I'm not going to kill you. I just want to be with you."

Wiping her mouth, the revulsion of feeling him on her, she glanced at Jimmy's comatose form on the ground.

"Oh, he'll be fine," Danny replied. "Just like we're going to be."

That was the last thing Max heard, before he held a soaked rag to her face, and she passed out.

**888888888888888**

"Shit," Kenny said flatly, as he paced across Jimmy's office later. Jimmy had woken up an hour after he was shot by Danny's syringe. The office was buzzing with activity at this late hour, and they had listened to the recording of Max and Danny's confrontation. She was so strong, Kenny thought, feeling proud of her for that. She didn't back down once, and he prayed that she was okay and Danny hadn't hurt her. His heart felt like a stone in his chest, and the idea of losing Max after just getting her back, Kenny thought he would rather be dead than that. "Shit."

Jimmy, still feeling a bit groggy, watched him seeing the panic he was trying to keep hidden.

"I knew I should have stayed," Kenny continued. "Damn it, Max."

He understood in that moment the way Max had felt about these murders. That overlaying guilt of being part of the reason why they were happening, and the over burdening responsibility to fix it.

"You can't blame yourself," Jimmy replied stoically. "She wouldn't want you to do that. The squad car got here three minutes after the transmission broke off, that gives us an edge on this one."

Kenny collapsed onto the couch, and hearing Max's words in that transmission.

_ "You want to kill someone? C'mon, let's end this right now."_

_ "I'm not going to kill you. I just want to be with you."_

"She never said anything? About feeling watched?" Jimmy asked interrupting Kenny's thoughts.

"She knew he was still out there," Kenny replied, still feeling numb. "And that he was waiting for her. Max wanted to get him, before he got her."

"He's not going to hurt her," Jimmy said, but not quite believing it himself. "We won't let him."

**888888888888888**

"Howard," Max said, knowing that she must be asleep. "I haven't seen you in awhile."

He smiled sadly at her. "I'm here because you need some help. The past is back, remember?"

He waved his hand, and a picture filled in the air. Max's mouth dropped in horror, as she saw Danny behind the wheel and her limp body in the seat behind him. The whole scene came rushing back, and Max just stared at Howard.

He took her hand. "I told you that some bad stuff was going to happen if you went back."

"Is he going to kill me?" Max asked breathlessly. "He …didn't do it already?"

"You're still very much alive, but you're going to have to fight him. You need to wake up now. I'm here with you all the way," Howard said serenely. "You have a lot of people pulling for you down there. Don't let them down."

Max nodded, as he faded away.

"Oh, I've waited so long to touch you again," Danny breathed in her ear. "You have to remember what we had!"

Max stared bleary eyed at him, not responding. Just glaring at him, not giving into her fear. How am I supposed to fight him, seeing that her hands were handcuffed to the metal bedposts?

"Remember how it used to be? I could make you scream," Danny whispered. "We didn't need anyone else. You're not like Karen."

"Karen?" Max croaked.

"She thought she could see other people besides me. I knew she was going to leave me, so I stopped her. You'll never leave me…."

"Danny, please," Max pleaded, hating the sound of it. "Just let me go. You don't want to do this."

"No!" he yelled. "You're not leaving me! Your mine! MINE!"

Danny jammed his hands against her bare shoulders, and had his faces inches from hers. Max felt his ragged breath, and saw that wild light come into his eyes. He ran his fingers down her bare body, and she tried not to shudder as he stroked her breasts. Danny traced the outline of her bullet scar, before bringing them lower.

"Mine," he repeated softly, pulling away. Turning off the light, he walked out of the room, leaving her in the dark. Max let a deep breath that she didn't even know that she was holding.

**888888888888888**

"Fred Mullen saw a dark sedan pull out of here in that time frame," Skeeter informed Jimmy and Kenny. "It turned left, and then he lost sight of it. We have cars going every possible route looking for it."

Skeeter turned to his friend, and wanted to offer some comfort, but Kenny's current demeanor didn't call for comfort. He didn't want to break, and Skeeter could tell that might push him over the edge.

"Is that all?" Kenny asked. "We should do something else!"

"We're doing this by the book," Jimmy said, keeping his voice calm. "No slip ups."

"Even if he kills her before we find him?" Kenny retorted. "Jimmy."

Jimmy saw the desperation plain on his face, and thought back to when his ex partner had kidnapped Kimberly, and Jimmy would have fought to get her back come hell or high water. Jimmy knew it would destroy his young friend if they found Max like they found the others, and it wouldn't be too easy on himself either.

"Max is tough and smart. If anyone can survive until we find her, I'd bet on her," Jimmy replied. "Hold on to that."

Max flinched as Danny flipped the light back on. She had lost track of the time in the darkness, but he hands hurt from pulling against the metal. She had come to the conclusion that there was no way to break through it. The bed frame was sturdy, and she had accomplished was bruising her hands.

She looked up and met Danny's hungry eyes. Max didn't know what he saw when he looked at her, but it made her feel used and dirty. She knew it was a matter of time before he raped her, and after that she wasn't sure what he would do. The other women weren't even dead before he started carving them up.

"You're not going to break out of them," Danny said indicating to the handcuffs. "They used them at Cornerstones when they wanted to punish us."

So I'll find another way, Max thought switching to Plan B. Weakly, she nodded at him. "Okay."

"Good," he replied, sitting beside her again and stroking her hair. "We have a lot to talk about."

The words echoed familiar to her, didn't Kenny and I say the same thing not so long ago, Max wondered.

"I told you, he just wanted to make you another conquest," Danny continued. "Why'd you let him do it? How could you let him touch you? He doesn't love you, not the way you should be. You're just another notch on his bedpost."

Max fought the urge to argue with him. Agree, she thought. Let him think he's winning, maybe then he'll uncuff you, so she numbly replied. "Kenny?"

"Of course Kenny! He thinks you're weak! Why else would he have been protecting you from me? He knows that you belong with me, and not with him! He knows that I could convince you of that, so he had to protect you! He didn't trust you to make your own decision!"

Max flashed back to all of her and Kenny's good and bad times, and she knew in her heart that he never thought all those things about her. She could tell just by looking at him, and even when they fought Max knew that nothing would ever change that. It took all of her strength not to defend the man that she loved, she replied. "I know. He wanted to be with me, and he… he told me he loved me. I just wanted someone to love me."

"I've always loved you," Danny whispered, and Max could see the excitement building in his eyes. She was saying all the right things to him, the things she knew from experience would make a sociopath like him happy. "All those people who pretend to care about you! All they want to do is keep you from being happy."

Bastard, Max thought. How many people did you do this too? Did Karen have to suffer through this? I hate you, for the way you treated me. Making me turn against the people I treasure having in my life. Blocking out her thoughts, she stammered out a truthful response. "I was confused. I didn't know what I wanted then."

"You want me," Danny insisted. "They made you send me away."

Max nodded again, not trusting her voice. Oh, Kenny, she thought. I'm so sorry, please forgive me for this. I love you, please don't ever forget that. "I want to touch you," Max gasped. "Please Danny let me touch you. I've waited two years for this moment."

His hands trailed down her body, and he stared mesmerized by her breasts again. before he sneered, "You think I'm pretty stupid, don't you? If I uncuff you now, you're going to run. Leave me."

"I'm not going to leave," Max cried, trying to hide her desperation. "I promise."

"That's what Karen said," Danny replied coldly. "I'll be back soon."

"Damn it," Max whispered to herself after he left. "Damn it."

**888888888888888**

"We found a car matching the description of Danny's" Skeeter said at the same time Max was trying to convince Danny to untie her. "Out by Millers Road, and then there was a scooter track leading into the woods."

"Impound it," Jimmy said. "I want it torn apart for anything linking it to Max and Danny."

Skeeter agreed, and signed off the radio.

"I need to do something," Kenny said. "I can't just sit here while everyone else is out there looking for her."

"Then start thinking like a cop, and not the boyfriend," Jimmy replied. "Because we're going out there and following those tracks into the woods.

**888888888888888**

Max let her eyes adjust to the darkness, and carefully sliding her cuffed, numb, hands down the metal bed rail. There was a table less then a foot away, maybe, she thought, there was something there that she could use to pick the lock. Or stab Danny with, Max wasn't feeling too picky at the moment. Her fingers grazed the edge of the table, and Max twisted her body, her muscles screaming, and she swore that she would take up yoga when she got out of this. Gazing at the table, all she saw was a pen. One normal Bic pen. Squinting she could make out her clothes in the chair across the room, and that's when the inspiration struck. Slowly she twisted onto her back again, and ran her fingers through her hair, looking for either the barrette or bobby pin she had used to secure back the fly away pieces of her growing out hair style.

Please, she thought, someone give me a break here. I don't know if I can pick a handcuff lock, but please God if you're up there let me try. She listened for any signs of life in the other rooms, and in hearing only silence; she slid a pin from her hair. Giving herself a silent cheer, Max felt victorious for the first time in that endless night.

Grasping the pin in her hand, she heard heavy footsteps treading down the hall towards the room. The lights blinked on again, and Danny stood in the doorway once more. Max tightened her grip, and tried not to be afraid of the expression on Danny's face.

"I thought you might want to know about what I did to your friends," he said slowly. "So if you get any ideas of escaping, you'll know what to expect."

He sauntered in slowly, a manila envelope clasped in his hands. He stroked her face lovingly, as he settled in the chair by the bed.

Does he know? Can he be watching me somehow?

"Rebecca," Danny drawled. "I met her right after I got out of the hospital. She gave me a ride after I told her my car broke down. And when I found out she worked for the mayor, I figured you knew her. She didn't see it coming Max, I stabbed her and she didn't even fight me. The look on her face when she fell to the floor…"

"Stop please," Max begged, not wanting to picture Rebecca's death.

Danny continued like he didn't even hear her. "It was like a game. I wanted her to bleed. You know I hadn't had sex since I went into the hospital? But I wanted her to be you. I couldn't picture you while looking at her face, so it had to go."

Max fought the urge to vomit, the image of Danny doing that to Rebecca made her want to cry. She tuned him out as he started talking about Sue, and how he knew she was Carter's girlfriend.

"She was a virgin," Danny reveled. "It was like you giving your virginity to me."

Sue, she thought, you deserved better than this. I'll make it up to you and to Carter, somehow, I promise.

"Joey fought me, and I didn't realize she tore of my bracelet," Danny continued. "Even when I cut her, she fought. She didn't know I was in control! She scratched me, until I slit her throat. She died screaming."

Max just stared at him, as he continued. "And Rachel. You remember Rachel Harris? God, I hated that bitch. Didn't Kenny sleep with her too? Any piece of ass he could get I suppose. She remembered me though, and she almost got away too. I stopped her though. She won't bother us again."

Rachel, Max's mind screamed. He's going to kill me too, I know that. I'm so sorry, Max thought, as she remembered the people that Danny had killed.

"So don't go anywhere, Max," Danny said slowly. "I don't want to have to hurt you."

**888888888888888**

Jimmy and Kenny stared at the tracks leading into the woods. Looking into the car, they had found some reddish hairs on the backseat. Kenny was feeling anxious, but trying to do what Jimmy said. Treat it as any other case. It's an abduction, follow the logical steps. He refused to believe that Max would die. The two of them had too much to live for.

Flipping on the industrial sized flashlights, he followed Jimmy into the woods. He could hear the others going off in different directions. Kenny swore if Max came out of this alright, he'd ask her to marry him. No more wasted time, he thought, as they walked through the woods, we're going to do this right. I love this woman, and I need her in my life. I want to have a life with her.

He glanced up at the lightening sky, and prayed that they would find her soon.

**888888888888888**

"I told you I would stay," Max replied shakily. "Please don't tell me anymore. They were my friends."

"No they weren't!" Danny bellowed. "They didn't want what was best for you!"

"I know," Max agreed, and hating herself for it. "But they didn't deserve to be killed like that."

"It was a tribute," Danny insisted, as Max's revulsion grew. He stood up, and gazed down at her again, and reaching for his envelope. He carefully pulled out a photograph, and she recoiled in horror. It showed one of the bodies, and as he flipped through the pictures, Max saw that he had photographed each murder, each little detail preserved on film. She shut her eyes to block out the intruding images, as she heard him laugh.

"I'm going to cook breakfast," Danny said. "I hope you're hungry."

Sick, she thought. Fucking sick bastard. She heard his footsteps trail off, and she began working at picking the lock.

**888888888888888**

"Mom," Matthew asked, as they watched the news that morning. "Is Danny Shreve really doing this?"

Jill paused before replying, thinking about her dead friends, and her missing one. "It seems that way."

"Is he going to kill Max?" Zach asked. "Like he did to the other ones?"

Jill didn't know how to respond to that because she honestly didn't know. "I hope not. Your father, Kenny, and everyone else are doing their best to prevent that."

The boys nodded sullenly, and the three of them turned back towards the morning news cast.

**888888888888888**

The lock popped to Max's astonishment. She pulled her wrists out slowly and tried to rub away some of their numbness. Sliding off the bed she walked as quietly as possible towards her clothes in the corner. Thank you, she thought, thank you! Max tugged her tee-shirt over her head, and quickly buttoned her jeans. Not finding her shoes, she crept towards the door, and cautiously peered out. The hallway was dim, but she could make out light coming from the right. The aroma of eggs and bacon came from down there as well, so Max headed off towards her left, and hopefully away from Danny.

She stayed close to the wall, and towards the end of the hall she came to a big window. Looking down, she was relieved to see that they were on the first floor of some building. Glancing behind over her shoulder again, Max shoved the window up and winced at the creak that it made. Looking back again, and hearing nothing, she shoved it up another six inches, and crawled out as she heard footsteps pounding down the hall. Ducking her head, she ran into the shadows as Danny's scream came from the bedroom. Looking back one more time she saw him coming through the window.

"Shit," Max said, as she started to run. "I knew it couldn't be that easy."

She pumped her legs as fast as they would go, but she could hear Danny behind her. He had her by a good half foot and 75 pounds, so she knew he was stronger and faster.

"You lying bitch!" he screamed, as he tackled her to the ground. "You said that you would stay!"

His face twisted into an ugly parody of itself, as his nails dug into her skin. "Get off of me! I hate you for what you've done!"

"You're mine," he yelled for what seemed like the hundredth time to her. "I'm going to make you mine!"

Max felt him rip at her shirt, and she shoved and clawed at him, but he kept pushing her down. His hands cupped her breasts, and he buried his face in them.

She screamed. "You're not human! You're some inhuman monster!"

He continued to paw at her, and try to shove her pants down. Max smashed him in the head, but he slapped her. "Lie still!"

"Fuck you!" she yelled back, bringing her knee to his crotch.

**888888888888888**

Kenny and Jimmy exchanged a glance as they heard the screams, and they began to run. Max's voice pierced the air again, and Jimmy radioed for back up.

**888888888888888**

Danny sucked in his breath at contact, and Max sprung back to her feet. Running and pulling her shirt down at the same down, she sprinted for the trees.

"No!" Danny yelled, lunging after her. Max dodged his grasp, and barely missed running into a tree. She ducked under the branches, and pushed through the woods. Danny was behind her, and she felt him upon her again. They crashed into a small bush, and Max screamed and shoved her fist in his face.

"Bitch!" he hissed, as blood dripped down his face. One hand holding her by the neck, he pulled a kitchen knife from his pocket. "I told you what would happen if you tried to leave."

He yanked her out of the bush, and tossed her on the ground. Coughing and sputtering Max glared up at him. She scrambled to her feet, as he advanced closer.

"Try to run," he said lowly. "You're not going anywhere."

He crept closer, and Max continued to stumble backwards. They were in a thick grove of trees, and she knew that there was nowhere to run. Danny would be on her in an instant. Her eyes darted around, searching for any possible escape route. Fight, Max thought, I have to get the knife away from him. She held Danny's gaze, as he paused five feet from her.

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy this," he breathed. "You're just like all the others… you don't care about me."

"You disgust me," she spat, before she thought better of it, and with those words Max ran at him, and they fell to the ground in a heap. Grasping his hand that was holding the knife, she twisted his wrist so it fell to the ground. She balled her hands into fists, and landed one solid punch before he flipped her onto her back.

"Stop fighting me," he demanded. He had her legs pinned down, so she couldn't get to his crotch again. She could see the knife off to her left, but there was no way she could reach it in her present position. "No one will even miss you when you're gone."

Danny ripped her shirt open, as she smashed him in the face again. Max continued to hit and fight him, as he attacked her body. Max fought the urge to cry as he shoved her pants down. His hands were groping and tearing at her, and she could feel the excitement in his body. To be in control of her. She closed her eyes, as he rammed into her. Danny let out an excited moan of release as he entered her, as she screamed. She twisted her body, but he was just too strong. His hands were like metal chains holding her to the ground, and no matter how hard she fought him, she couldn't get away. She screamed again in frustration, and at the vague hope that someone was nearby.

Danny paused in his pleasure at her screams, and Max felt his weight lift from her body momentarily. Last chance, she thought, as she shoved him and dove for the knife. Danny lunged after her, and she felt his hand grasp her ankle.

"No, damn it!" she screamed, twisting back to face him as Jimmy and Kenny came crashing into the clearing. As Danny flew at her again, she raised the knife.

Jimmy and Kenny watched in amazement as he crumpled to the ground in a pool of blood.


	9. Ramifications

Danny screamed, as the knife entered his shoulder and he rolled off of Max. Max felt numb, and like she couldn't move. Her whole body felt like it was one big bruise, and her mind was screaming in agony. Shivering she wrapped her arms around herself, and pulled up her torn pants. Bleary eyed, she saw Jimmy radio for back up, and read Danny his rights. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and Max sprung to her feet ready to fight again.

"Don't touch me!" she yelled, pushing the hand away.

Kenny stepped back, and saw the blind terror on her face. There was an innate wildness in her eyes, and she was shaking so badly that all he wanted to do was hold her and tell her everything would be alright. From the way she was wrapped around herself, Kenny knew that would only make things worse. Max stared at him like she didn't even know who he was.

"Max?" he said cautiously, not wanting to frighten her anymore. Kenny's relief that she was alive knew no bounds, but she was scaring him at that moment. "It's going to be okay."

She shook her head at that, but still couldn't bring herself to speak. The whole world seemed to blur, and she could hear and see the people around her, but they didn't seem quite real. Shaking, she sunk to the ground again, and prayed for it to swallow her up. Max didn't want to deal with the pain. Kenny crouched down beside her, and wrapped his jacket around her shivering form. He and Jimmy locked eyes over Max's head, as Danny was being lead back to the squad cars, after they staunched the bleeding in his shoulder. Max had driven the knife in deeply, and the blood flowed quickly.

"You bitch!" Danny continued to scream as he was led away. "I'll kill you for this! You're just like all the others!"

Max moaned, as Jimmy sent the others to search the abandoned mill where Danny had been hiding all these months. He knelt down beside Kenny, and immediately wanted to kill Danny Shreve himself for the angst he saw in Max's face. Shaking, dirty, battered, and bruised, she looked like she had been through a war.

"We're going to get you out of here," he said gently. "Can you walk?"

Max nodded weakly, and tried to focus on what was going on. She struggled to get to her feet, and felt a wave of dizziness came over her as she stood. Stumbling, she knelt down, and tried to regain some control over her body. Taking a deep breath, she tried to steady herself, both physically and mentally.

Kenny felt sick while he watched her, and wanted to blow Danny's head off. Looking at her torn clothes, and the scratches and bruises on her body, he wanted the man dead. Jimmy, his face set like a stone, radioed for an ambulance to meet them at the road.

"Max?" Kenny said carefully, as she turned to look at him with an expression of hopelessness. "Hey, he's gone now. You're-''

She shook her head and replied lowly. "He'll never be gone."

Kenny felt his heart break when she said that. Max looked like she had given up on life, and it killed him to see her like this. In the years that they had known each other, he had never seen her give up on anything. Max could be like a dog with a bone when she had her mind set on something. Glancing at Jimmy again, and feeling totally helpless with this deadly quiet version of the woman he loved, he turned back to her.

"Yes he will be. Shh, don't think about it now, don't worry about anything. Max, you're going to get out of here, and get you checked out at the hospital," Kenny said softly, as she just stared silently at him. "Can I help you up?"

He held out his hand to her, and Max grasped it like a lifeline. Jimmy motioned Skeeter over, and said. "Go with them to the hospital."

Skeeter nodded, and looked over at the young couple. Max looked shaky, and Skeeter felt a huge wave of sympathy pass over him, and he knew if anyone hurt his wife or kids the way Danny had hurt Max, he would probably kill them. She was holding Kenny's hand, and Skeeter was positive that it was the only thing keeping her up.

"Hey guys," Skeeter said quietly. "You ready to go?"

Kenny nodded, and before she could protest lifted Max into his arms. She felt the momentary urge to fight, but she hurt so much. She buried her face into his shoulder, and tried to ignore the feelings of despair running through her.

"Jimmy," Kneelson called, as he approached the mill. "You have to see all of this."

He followed Kneelson into the mill, and the immediate smell of decay hit him. Kneelson gestured towards the closet, green faced. Jimmy peered in, and recoiled at the familiar faces staring back at him. The faces of all the victims that Danny had killed were mounted on the wall in the closet. He closed the door, and replied. "Leave it until the forensics team arrives. Nobody is going to touch that until then."

Kneelson nodded, and Jimmy couldn't get those four faces out of his mind. Rachel Harris, he thought, thinking to his battles with her when she was the mayor. He knew Jill was going to be devastated by Rachel's death, especially following the loss of Joey so soon. He followed Kneelson into the back of the mill, where they found the room where Max had been kept for the past 17 hours. Handcuffs dangling from the metal bedposts, and a bobby pin lying on the pillow. Jimmy felt immediately proud of her resourcefulness.

"Look at this," Erickson called, gesturing to the envelope full of pictures of the murder that were spilled out in the next room. "He has more pile of pictures too. I don't know how long he has been following Max for, but he has enough photos to start his own gallery."

"Bag everything," Jimmy said, as the forensics team arrived.

**999999999999999**

Max sat alone in the examining room, wearing nothing but a paper robe. She crossed her arms across her chest, and thought about how much she didn't want to be here. She didn't want anybody to know what Danny had done to her. When she closed her eyes, Max could still see him leering over her. She could feel his hands touching her, and the realization that he was probably going to kill her and there was nothing she could do about it. She buried her face in her hands, and wished for anything that would make the last 24 hours disappear.

Jill paused at the door of the examining room, and studied Max. After she talked to Kenny and Skeeter, Jill realized that they didn't know anything either, and Max certainly wasn't talking. The poor woman, Jill thought, and felt guilty because she had worked with Danny for years and not realized what a nut he was.

"Max," Jill said, venturing into the room, as her head shot up. Jill didn't like the look in her eyes, so she didn't venture in to close. "I want to take a look at you to make sure everything is alright. Did he hurt you?"

"He hit me," she whispered, thinking back to their tangle in the woods. "He threw me to the ground, and…."

Jill waited patiently as Max paused to collect herself before continuing.

"He raped me," she finished, her voice trembling as she choked the words out.

"Okay," Jill said sadly, trying to retain her professionalism. "I'm going to examine you, and I promise I won't hurt you."

"I don't want anyone to know," she whimpered. "Please."

"That's not an option," Jill said gently. "You know that, and I know you don't want Danny to get away with this."

Max flinched at the sound of his name, but nodded.

"Relax and lie back," Jill coaxed, as she reached for the rape kit. "I promise you that you'll be okay. You're a strong and intelligent woman, and I know you'll work through it."

Max didn't say anything as she lay back on the examining table, but she wasn't sure she agreed with Jill. She bit her lip, and held in a scream as Jill examined her down there and took the samples for evidence.

**999999999999999**

Jimmy walked into the hospital waiting room, as Jill was completing the rape kit. Kenny looked completely drained, and Skeeter was covered in filth from stomping through the woods all night.

"Any word?" Jimmy asked.

"Jill's in there with her," Kenny replied. "And one of the photographers went in there to take pictures of the bruising."

"How is she? Has she said anything?" Jimmy asked feeling concerned for his honorary daughter.

Kenny shook his head. "She's in shock, just going through the motions. I could kill Danny for this."

"He won't hurt anyone again, we have enough evidence to put him away for life," Jimmy replied, knowing that it wasn't much comfort then, but it was something. Jill came out of the examine room there, and spoke to a nurse quickly before heading over to the three men.

"Is she okay?" Kenny asked quickly.

"Physically, she'll be fine," Jill started. "It's a lot of bruises and scratches, but it's more Max's mental state that I'm worried about. He raped her and beat her badly, and she's handling the way most people do. Max is in strong denial right now, and she wants it all to go away."

Kenny felt like someone kicked him when he heard that the bastard had raped her. It was one thing to suspect, but it took on a whole new level to have his suspicions confirmed. She's alive; he tried to reason to himself, he didn't kill her. If I have my way, he'll never get near her again.

"It is going to take some time," Jill continued. "We all know that. Go easy on Max when you question her. She is in a bad place right now."

"Is she up to questions?" Jimmy asked.

Jill shook her head. "Not tonight. Let her rest, it's going to be an uphill battle. She's fine to go home though."

"Can I see her?" Kenny asked.

Jill nodded cautiously. "Remember that she's just been through something traumatic, and she's not really herself right now."

"I know," Kenny agreed, thinking of her reactions in the woods, the fear clear on her face. Jill gestured towards the door, and Kenny felt momentarily afraid of Max's response to him. He had dealt with rape victims before, and he had seen some severe reactions before. If he had to pick one crime that disgusted him above all others, this would be it. He remembered when his sister had been raped, and even now 10 years later she was still dealing with it. Hesitantly, he rapped on the door before inching it open.

Max looked up when he entered, dressed in donated gray sweats and black shirt. Kenny tried not to stare at the huge bruise running down the right side of her face down to her shoulder.

"Hi," she whispered, not knowing what else to say.

"Hey, how you feeling?" he asked, pushing the door closed behind him and taking a few tentative steps forward and pausing waiting for her reaction. She looks half dead he thought.

"I'm okay," she replied, not sounding like she really meant it.

"Jill says you can go home," Kenny said. "She has some stuff to give you though."

"Yeah, she talked about therapy. Isn't that how this all got started?" Max said bitterly lashing out.

Kenny ignored the venom in her words, and moved a few feet closer to her. "It's up to you. I'm not going to push you on this."

"That's generous," she snapped back. "Just leave me alone."

Kenny could practically feel the wall she was putting up, and he vowed no matter how hard she tried to push him away, he wouldn't let her. He knew her too well to let her get away with that.

"I'm not going anywhere," Kenny replied. "Max, I love you, and you're stuck with me."

She averted her eyes, not wanting him to see her tears. How can he still look at me like that, Max wondered. Like he feels the same way he did yesterday, before Danny did this to me? She could tell he was waiting for some sort of response, and part of Max just wanted him to wrap his arms around her, and tell her that everything was fine. The bigger part, just wanted everything to go away. Max didn't know which way to go. She hurt, and felt so used.

Kenny watched the emotions chase across her face, and didn't know what to do. Cautiously he sat down on the examining table next to her, and continued in her silence. "You don't have to say anything. I'm here, okay? You're not alone."

"I know," she replied softly. "I'm so scared, and I feel so… different than before. I wish he had killed me rather than left me like this."

"Don't say that," Kenny replied, shaken to his core. "We need you here. I need you."

Going against his best judgment, he reached out touched her arm softly. Max flinched away at first, but then turned towards him. She reached up and took his hand between hers, and squeezed softly. Sitting here with him made her feel slightly better, and Max knew that his concern for her was genuine. She wished that she could say something that might provide him some comfort, but she couldn't find anything remotely comforting to think about right then.

**999999999999999**

"Don't touch me," Max yelled out in her sleep, kicking the blanket off. "Keep your fucking hands off me!"

Kenny jerked from other side of the bed, glad now that he didn't let Max talk him into leaving. Flipping on the light, he called. "Max, hey Honey, wake up. Max?"

Her eyes flew open, as she felt his hand on her, and she yanked herself away from him. Pulling the blanket up to cover herself, despite the sweat running down her body Max realized that she was having a nightmare.

"Kenny," she said coming back to reality, as she saw that Danny wasn't here.

"Just a dream," he said. "It's not real."

"It seemed like it was. I could feel him touching me again," Max swallowed., tugging the blanket around herself.

Bastard, Kenny thought. "He's locked up in the hospital, and that wound that you gave him will keep him from going anywhere."

"I should have stabbed him in the heart," Max replied quietly, thinking back. She threw back the covers, not feeling the least bit tired anymore.

"Don't think that anyone would have had a problem with that," Kenny agreed, joining her at the foot of the bed. "You probably shouldn't go around saying that to anybody."

"You're not just anybody," Max replied, feeling nervous at his closeness, and hating herself for it. This is Kenny, she thought, and I trust him with my life. I love him, but everything is just so messed up now.

"Neither are you," Kenny said, and he was rewarded with a small smile. "You don't want to sleep, do you?"

"Not right now," Max agreed, even though it was four in the morning. "You don't have to wait up with me though."

"I want to."

**999999999999999**

"You're worried about her," Jimmy stated flat out to Kenny a week later.

"Of course I'm worried about her. She says and does the right things, but there's nothing to them," Kenny proclaimed, feeling frustrated. "She won't talk to me."

"She won't do therapy?" Jimmy asked.

"She says that's what started all of this," Kenny replied. "You know Max as well as I do, once she digs her heels in there is no changing her mind."

Jimmy thought back to her monotone statement that they took three days after the rape, and he knew that Kenny was right. There was no fire in her, and it didn't seem like she really cared about anything. He hated to see anyone like this, especially someone who he considered family.

"What about a support group, or something?" Jimmy suggested. "It's not really therapy, but it would give her an outlet."

Kenny shrugged. "It's worth a shot, I'm not sure Max will go for it."

Jimmy nodded, knowing his deputy well. "And how are you doing?"

Kenny shrugged again. "It isn't about me."

**999999999999999**

Danny paced in his jail cell, and his left shoulder throbbed in pain with Max stabbed him. His Max, he thought angrily, how dare she betray me like this. The Rome deputies glared at him whenever they walked down by his cell. He felt eyes watching him, and stood to face Jimmy.

"Your trial starts next week," Jimmy said without preamble. "Wambaugh wouldn't represent you. You hurt anyone in this town again Danny, and you'll answer to me. Do you understand that?"

"Don't threaten me Sheriff," he growled.

**999999999999999**

"Group counseling," Max asked disbelieving, as Kenny and Jill presented their case to her. Kenny had recruited Jill earlier in the day to help him convince Max that this might do her some good.

"I know how you feel about therapy, and right now that's understandable," Jill said carefully, her heart aching for this young woman. "You need to talk to someone about it. Neither of us understand what you're going through, and Max you can't keep it bottled up inside like this. It'll eat you up."

"It's been a couple weeks, and you can't keep lying around like this," Kenny continued, "I've never seen you give up without a fight."

"Don't let him do this to you," Jill picked up. "I know it's different from this side, and I know you're hurt and scared. Give it a chance."

"I can't do this," Max blurted out. "I have these awful nightmares, and I'm scared to go outside, to be around people. My whole perspective on life has been turned upside down, and I don't know who I am anymore."

"These counselors can help you get it back," Jill finished. "One time, see how it goes."

Max paused, and reflected on their words and her own, before nodding slightly.

**999999999999999**

That night Max lay awake in bed conscious of the fact that Kenny slept soundly next to her. It didn't bother her to have him there, and she knew that he was purposefully sleeping on the edge of the other side so that he wouldn't startle her in the night. She missed waking up in his arms though, how he held her even when they were sleeping. The way he ran his hands through her hair, and looked at her like she was the most beautiful woman in the world. Max would catch him looking at her now, and she saw a lot of worry on his face, but she also saw that he still thought of her that way. And that amazed her because she felt so ugly and dirty, and Max realized that she also felt guilty for not getting away from Danny before he raped her. I could have fought harder, she thought, but knowing that she did everything that she possibly could to get away.

Group therapy, she mused, not really knowing if she was ready to discuss this with anyone yet. Kenny had tried to get it out of her, but she wasn't ready to talk about her feelings yet. I don't know if I can do this, she thought, as she drifted back off to sleep.

**999999999999999**

The next morning, Max approached the counseling center slowly. The building looked harmless enough, she thought. Fingering her fading bruise covered in make-up, Max paused before entering. Then with a deep breath, she watched as other woman came and went. I'm so ashamed, she thought, even though she knew she shouldn't be. How many woman have I told it's not their fault, she argued. If they can do this, so can you. Kenny and Jill are right, I can do this, and with that she opened the door and went inside.

The receptionist pointed in the direction of the group, and Max fought the urge to run. It was one thing getting the unwanted sympathy from her friends, but she didn't know if she could take the pity from complete stranger.

"Excuse me, are you coming in?" a woman called from the doorway.

Max paused and thought, in or out before replying. "Yes."

**999999999999999**

Following the stranger into the room, she settled into a chair in the circle.

"Hello, welcome. I'm Caroline," the stranger said. "We use first names only here, and we're all here to listen to each other. Nothing that is said will leave this room, it's all completely confidential."

As each woman began to tell her story, Max felt oddly comforted to know she wasn't alone in this. Consciously she knew she wasn't the first woman to ever be raped, but it was still a relief to know that there was somebody out there who understood how she felt. Her friends had tried, but it wasn't like that. Realizing that it was her turn, Max felt at ease with these woman as she began to tell her story.

"Hi, I'm Max," she started, and the words began to flow.

**999999999999999**

"You're not going to let him plea it out," Jimmy barked at the newly arrived D.A. Georgia Garrett. "This man killed at least four woman, and kidnapped and raped one of my deputies. He's not getting off here."

"This is the same deputy that stabbed him," the blond woman answered.

"Yes," Jimmy said feeling his blood beginning to boil. "That has nothing to do with this."

"It will buy him sympathy with the jury," she countered.

"He killed four women," Jimmy repeated. "You're not making a deal with his lawyer."

"All of you are personally involved in this. The mayor, the corner, your entire department and yourself. Take a step back," Georgia continued. "That won't play well either."

"We have enough evidence to put this guy in prison for life. Do your job."

Georgia nodded, and stalked back to her office.

**999999999999999**

Max sat on her back porch that afternoon, and savored the taste of the beer. Reflecting on her counseling session that morning, she felt lighter then she had in a few weeks. Just getting the whole story off of her chest made her feel more human again, and knowing that there was somebody who would understand how she felt. Max also realized that there were a lot of woman out there in worse situations then she was, and she felt torn over that. As a cop she wanted to throw the men that raped these women in jail, but knowing that she couldn't betray their trust. Max couldn't even comprehend why they would stay with these men. Jumping slightly at the footsteps behind her, she turned to see Kenny.

"Are you checking up on me?" Max asked with a small smile.

"Just wanted to see how your day went," Kenny replied, happy to see her in a good mood. "And you gave me a key."

"It's like when I got out of the hospital before, all I do is sit around and watch television. And think." Kenny plopped down next to her, as she continued. "The group thing was good. I feel half way human again. Those woman… I want to do something for them."

"Like what?" he prodded, feeling encouraged that she was showing interest in something.

"Some of them still live with the men who did this too them," Max said vaguely. "It's confidential there, but that just doesn't seem right to me. How could they stay?"

"It's a screwed up world, Honey," Kenny ventured, knowing they were treading on a dangerous subject. "Talk to them, convince them to turn them in."

"They don't want anyone to know. I didn't want anyone to know, and I've seen woman got through this before. I knew how it worked, and it still freaked me out. I know Danny's in jail, and he's going to stay there. But I hate him for this, Kenny. He did the same thing he did two years ago, he messed with my head."

"You're going to fight through this," Kenny replied.

"I know," she agreed. "It's going to be an uphill battle. I know I haven't been the easiest person to be around… you've been my rock through all of this. I don't even know how to thank you for that. I've yelled, pushed you away, and have been a general bitch to deal with. I love you, even though I haven't really shown it toowell yet."

Kenny saw the tears brimming in her eyes, and he fought to hold his own in as he spoke. "The thought of losing you again so soon after I got you back… I made myself a promise if you came through this okay."

"What was that?" Max asked.

"I didn't plan on doing this now," Kenny said faltering. "Are you okay?"

"I'm working on it," she replied, as the emotions of the day overtook her. For the first time since she had been raped a month ago, Max let the tears fall as Kenny pulled her into his arms. And if Max hadn't know better, she would have sworn she felt his tears on the back of her neck.


	10. Consequences

The new D.A. was a pit bull, and Max decided that she actually liked her quite a bit. Even after she reviewed Max's earlier statement, Georgia grilled her for two hours, going over every little detail, until Max felt sick.

"Okay then," Georgia said when they finished. "I think I've got everything. You can go now."

"Thanks," Max said warily, throwing on her jacket. It had been eight weeks since that horrible night, and Max was starting to feel like her self again. The women in the support group were wonderful, and they gave her the courage to go on. She still shied away from physical contact somewhat, and this trial was wreaking havoc on her nerves. "I'll see you later."

"Good bye," Georgia said stiffly, turning back to her work.

Not like Littleton, Max thought climbing into her jeep. Catching sight of her reflection, she paused. She flipped the mirror down, and really gave herself a once over. Her had had grown out past her shoulders, but it looked limp and dead to her. And multicolored, with it dark red on the top and more of strawberry blond on the bottom. Pale, and Max wasn't sure of the last time she had worn make-up. Feeling the sudden desire to be attractive again she dialed the salon. Forgetting her problems for a minute she drove off.

**1010101010**

"The trial starts tomorrow. Is Max up for it?" Skeeter asked Kenny.

"She's doing good," Kenny replied, since that night when they had both cried on her porch, things had gotten progressively better. "She's antsy, wants to work, but I think that group she's going to is really helping."

"I miss her around here," Skeeter admitted. "How are you doing with it all?"

Kenny shrugged. "It sucks, but I'm not giving up on her. It would be too easy for us to have a calm, normal life together, but I can't imagine life without her."

"Go on home to her then," Skeeter said. "And give her a big hug for me."

**1010101010101010**

Max stood in her bathroom, and studied herself for the second time that day. She fingered her hair, which now hung right on her shoulders, and was the familiar dark cinnamon color. It felt soft between her hands, and she felt immediately better about her appearance after she fixed her hair. Nervously, she wondered how Kenny would react, knowing what happened last time she changed her hair. Applying a bit of lip gloss, Max felt confident about her physical self for the first time in months.

"Max," he called. "You home?"

Taking one last glance in the mirror, she called back. "I'm in the bathroom, hold on. Promise me you won't flip out."

Wondering what she could have possibly done that she thought might cause him to flip, Kenny wandered closer to the bathroom. "Why?"

"I know how you reacted last time."

"Last time? Now you're scaring me, Honey."

Max slowly opened the bathroom door, and peeked her head out. Kenny's astonished expression was all she had to see to know his reaction.

"Wow," he said lamely, not able to come up with some other word. "You look beautiful… you didn't look like this a few hours ago."

"Oh, so I was ugly," Max replied, stepping out of the bathroom towards him.

"No, you know what I mean. When did you do this?"

"After I met with Georgia, I saw my reflection and I didn't like it. So I had it cut, and finally had the color fixed. You're not going to break up with me again over it, are you?"

"I told you before that you could shave your head, and I'd still love you," Kenny replied mesmerized by her. "Wow."

Max felt like the most beautiful woman in the world when he looked at her like that, and she held out her hand to him. He clasped in between his, and pulled her into his arms. She laid her head on his chest, and he dropped a kiss on the top of her head. She tilted her face up towards him, and he held her tighter.

"That was from Skeeter," he said before kissing her. "And this is from me."

Max buried her fear of being touched, and just let herself sink into his strong arms.

**10101010101010**

They sat with Jimmy, Jill, Carter, and Wambaugh for the opening arguments the next morning. Max was surprised and gratified to know that Wambaugh wasn't defending Danny, as she had thought that he would take any case that came along. They had exchanged a look this morning, and he had said. "You know I've only rejected two clients in my career, Mrs. Ingram and Danny Shreve. I couldn't stomach defending them."

Danny stared at Max when he was brought into the courtroom, and he grinned at her. Max glared back at him, and he laughed bitterly. She felt Kenny squeeze her hand, as the proceedings began. Her stomach fluttered, as Georgia rose to make her opening argument.

"In the state of Wisconsin versus Danny Shreve," she began. "We intend to prove that Mr. Shreve committed four counts of first degree murder, five charges of kidnapping, and five charges of rape."

Georgia rattled through her opening argument, while Michael Edison made conspicuous notes onto a legal pad. He began his argument, after taking a survey of the players in the case.

"Your honor," he began. "I intend to prove that my client, Daniel Shreve, is innocent of the crimes he is accused of. I also must request that you remove yourself from this case, do to you personal involvement."

"How so?" Bone asked, keeping his temper in check, as he stared down at the beady little man.

"You knew all the victims, and one of them was dating a tenant in your home," Edison countered.

"Are you saying I cannot be objective?" Bone asked, not taking his eyes off of him.

"No, your honor," he insisted.

"Then you may continue."

**101010101010**

"The first day is over with at least," Jimmy said, as they filed out of the courtroom, but knowing tomorrow would be different. He glanced down the hall at Kenny and Max, and worried about putting Max on the stand. Jimmy also knew that if he said anything to her about it, she'd probably bite his head off. He knew that she wanted Danny locked up, most likely more then anyone else. She's been through a lot he mused, but recently he'd seen the familiar fire burning in her.

"Are you ready to go?" Jill asked, following his gaze.

"Just about," Jimmy said, gesturing down the hall. "I want to check up them. I know Max is nervous about tomorrow, and she has every right to be."

"She's doing great," Jill said. "Max is too stubborn to lay down and die."

"Sheriff," Georgia said stiffly. "I'd like to talk to you, and Deputy Stewart before you all leave for the day."

Jimmy motioned for his two deputies to join them, as Carter came out of the courtroom. Georgia nodded towards the new arrivals, feeling uncomfortable in this tightly knit group of friends.

"Deputy Stewart, I need to speak to you and Sheriff Brock for a moment. In private," Georgia said coolly.

Max shrugged. "Sure."

She and Jimmy filed into one of the conference rooms behind Georgia, and Max felt oddly like she was going to get a lecture. Georgia was brilliant in the courtroom today, but she was very cold towards the rest of them.

"I wanted to say that I know that this is a very personal case for all involved. You all knew the victims, and Deputy this man did you great harm," Georgia began. "I need to know that no ones personal feelings become apparent in the courtroom."

"You don't have to worry about that," Jimmy said, feeling his blood beginning to boil at this woman's attitude.

"This isn't the first time a personal case has gone to trial," Max said,. "This is Rome Wisconsin, believe me everything becomes personal at some point."

**101010101010**

Jill nodded towards the door where the others just filed in, before turning back to Kenny and Carter.

"How are you two doing?" she asked.

"Everyday it gets a little better," Carter replied. "But life just feels off. It's like someone cut off my hand. Even though it stopped bleeding and scarred over, I can't grow a new one."

Jill smiled sadly at his comment, and was glad that he was going on from the loss of Sue. She remembered when he had almost burned to death last year because of to many pills, wine, and him not really caring if he lived or died. It was great to see him out in the world of the living again.

"And you?" she said to Kenny.

"I'm thankful everyday that Max is okay," he said honestly. "Even she said that she hasn't been the easiest person to be around lately, but it's been good."

**101010101010**

"The prosecution would like to call Maxine Stewart to the stand," Georgia said the next morning.

Butterflies in her gut, Max slowly made her way to the stand. Going through the swearing in ritual was almost calming, any other case she thought. Just think like that, and tell them what happened.

Georgia smiled, as she approached and began her questioning. Max walked her through the kidnapping, and her conversations with Danny. Averting her eyes from Danny the whole time, she told how she picked the handcuff lock and their tangle in the woods. Trying to keep her voice level, but not able to she spoke of the rape.

"Liar! You wanted it," Danny raged from his seat, as he leapt up.

Max cringed visibly, at his outburst, as Judge Bone banged his gavel. "Order! One more outburst like that Dr. Shreve, and I'll have you removed from the courtroom. Do you understand?"

Danny nodded, his gaze still fixed on Max.

"Thank you, no more questions," Georgia said calmly, taking her seat.

Michael Edison, Danny's lawyer rose, and began asking the same questions that Georgia began with before veering off it a totally different direction.

"Tell me, Deputy," he said slowly. "Did you tell my client that you wanted to touch him?"

Max paused before answering. "I wanted him to uncuff me, so I could get away from him."

"That's not what I asked," he demanded. "Did you tell him you wanted to touch him. That you had been waiting for him?"

"Objection," Georgia said, "Relevance, your honor?"

"Over-ruled, the witness may answer," Henry replied.

"Yes," she whispered. "But"

"No more questions," he said.

"The witness may step down," Henry said. "Prosecution, you may call your next witness."

**101010101010**

Max buried her head in her hands, as she sat on the backstairs of the courthouse. She knew that her answer to the last question threw her whole testimony into question, and while she doubted it would it would effect the outcome of the case Max couldn't help feeling like she's let everyone down. She saw the shock on her friends faces when she answered, and she felt ashamed. Ashamed that she could have even said that to the man, and Max knew that he would have raped her whether she told him that or nor. Her whole focus had been on escaping at that point, she didn't really think of the consequences at that point. Taking a deep breath of the fresh air, she heard the door open behind her.

"It's a good place to think," she heard Jimmy say. "I used to come out here all the time."

"It's also a nice place to hide. I didn't think anyone would look for me out here," Max replied, looking off into the countryside.

Jimmy studied his young deputy before settling down beside her. "I don't know many women who would have fought as hard as you did to get away. That's a good thing Max, and you're too good a cop to wallow in one bad answer to a shitty question during a testimony."

"I know," she said. "I didn't even think about what I was saying that night. I just wanted to get away from him, and I thought if he would just release my hands, it would give me a chance. The thought of touching then or ever, it makes me sick. He made it sound like I wanted Danny to rape me, and I really hope that the jury doesn't disregard the rest of my testimony because of the ending of it."

"They won't," Jimmy replied, believing that fully. "We've got enough evidence against this man to put him away for the rest of his life."

Max smiled at him, feeling a little bit better.

"Max," he continued, not sure if he should say it or not. "You've made me very proud these past few months. I want you to know that."

"Thanks," she said surprised. "That means a lot to me."

**101010101010**

They sat in silence that night, and Max knew that he was avoiding saying anything about her testimony this afternoon. Seeing his jaw set so stubbornly made her want to poke at him a bit. Not able to restrain herself, Max tossed her magazine on the table, and plopped down next to him on the couch.

"I know you want to say something," she said. "So go ahead."

Flipping off the T.V., Kenny turned to look at her without saying anything. He just studied her beautiful face that he had dreamed about every night since he had met her. He knew he was stupid to feel betrayed for what she had said on the stand, and Kenny even understood why she had done it. It still hurt to hear though, and it killed him to think of that man touching her. He had seen Max's expression when Danny yelled at her in the courtroom, and he knew how hard she fought to get away.

"Kenny?" she asked, breaking into his thoughts.

Sighing, but they had vowed to be truthful. "It's dumb Max, and I understand why you said those things to him."

"But?"

Kenny paused because he didn't want to hurt her, but he knew that she would keep pressing this until she got an answer. "He's sick, and he might have taken it as an invitation."

Max sat there and stared at him like she had never seen him before, how could he blame her for this? Like she wanted Danny to rape her? She stood up shakily, and pulled away from him.

"Hey, wait," Kenny said springing from the couch, cursing himself for saying it all wrong. "Max, please. Let me finish."

"Let you finish?" she said finding her voice. "Why? You think I wanted this? How could you?"

"I don't," he cried. "C'mon, let me start over, just listen."

Glaring at him, Max held her tongue feeling like he had just slapped her. He knew her better than that, Max thought, as she sat back on the couch.

"I know you didn't want it," Kenny said seeing the hurt on her face. "Hearing you say that today, it hurt. It shouldn't have, and I know what it took out of you to tell him that. Anyone who knows you understands, but when I think of him touching you… and him thinking you want him…"

Max wanted to stay mad at him, but his mangled words made sense to her. She knew how hard it was for him to say what he really felt, and they had been doing that a lot in the past few months.

_"You know what my ideal wife is like," Kenny asked that fateful Valentines Day, "She looks great, we have good sex. She's a fantastic mother. She holds me when I cry, which is once a year tops. And when she wants to talk about something deep, she goes in the kitchen with her sister while I watch football. Never, in a million years, would you stand for it."_

_Smiling sadly at him, Max nodded. "Nope, I wouldn't."_

_"I have to be in control. I'm not when I'm with you."_

"I know," she said quietly. "I don't know what he saw when he looked at me, and it's taken me awhile not to blame myself for him doing this to me. All I could think about was getting away from him."

"I'm not good at this," Kenny said softly. "You looked like you were ready to walk out."

"It was like a slap in the face," Max admitted. "That you would think that about me. You know me Kenny, better then anyone else."

He stroked her cheek, and replied. "I was so scared that I would lose you again, so soon after getting you back. I made myself a promise if you were okay."

"What was that?" Max asked curiously.

"Not yet," Kenny, vowing to wait to the trial was over to propose to her. Just get over this last hurdle he thought. A few more days. He kissed her on her forehead, and they sat there talking quietly.

**101010101010**

The two lawyers rested their cases three days later, with Edison insisting that if one woman claiming that she had told his client that she wanted to be with him, why couldn't the others have told him the same thing? Maybe they had tried to stab him too, and it was only self defense. Georgia countered that these women were raped after they were killed, and that Daniel Shreve had out weighed them by almost one hundred pounds. There was no possible way, she insisted, that these women had brought this upon themselves, and that if the jury didn't find Daniel Shreve guilty of his crimes, they would be doing all the victims a great injustice.

When the jury left to deliberate Max had felt like a huge burden had been lifted from her. Everything that could have been done had been, but knowing Rome as she did, she was waiting for the twist. Nothing was ever as it seemed in this town, and she'd seen more twists in court cases than she ever thought possible. Carter's grief over the loss of Sue was apparent to the jury, through his restrained testimony, and Danny's photographs of his crimes; they had him nailed. Max was positive, and she wanted Danny gone from her life. Her nightmares were less frequent, and she didn't cringe when someone touched her. Shooting Kenny a furtive glance, she knew that he missed their sex life, and even she was beginning to want it back again. The model of restraint, Max thought hiding a smile.

"What's so funny?" he asked catching her expression.

"Nothing," Max promised. "Just thinking about something."

"Now we wait," Carter said joining them. "Do you think it's going to be a long one?"

Max scooted over to make room for him. "In this town? Who knows?"

"Yeah," Carter agreed, settling down next to his two friends. "I want this bastard locked up forever. For Sue, Joey, Rachel and Rebecca. And you."

The three lapsed into silence in the deserted hallway, until the verdict came in a half hour later.

**101010101010**

"Please rise," the bailiff instructed for the third time that day, as Henry Bone entered the courtroom. "Be seated."

Bone regarded the occupants in the room with an expressionless gaze before turning to the jury. "Have you reached a verdict?"

The foreman stood as he replied. "Yes your honor."

The bailiff passed the verdict to Bone, who read in without expression, and handed it back to the jury.

"What say you?" Bone asked.

"On the first count of first degree murder, we find the defendant Daniel Shreve guilty. On the second count of first degree murder, we find the defendant guilty," the foreman went on, finding him guilty on all four counts of murder, five of kidnapping, and five of rape. A cheer went up in the courtroom, as Bone banged his gavel.

"Order!" he yelled. "Bailiff, take this man into custody. Sentencing is set for next Friday."

Danny stared at Max, and she could see the murder in his eyes. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, and the way he looked at her made Max want to crawl into a hole and hide.

"Get him out of here," Bone instructed, as the bailiff dragged him away.

Danny was dragged off, but Max could still feel his gaze burning into her. Trying to shake off the nagging feeling that this wasn't over yet, she turned to her celebrating friends. Protocol be damned, Max thought as she and Kenny wrapped their arms around each other.

**101010101010**

Kenny watched her sleep that night, after they had some celebratory drinks with their friends. It was bittersweet, he thought, they got the murderer, but the feeling of loss is still there. He felt slightly guilty about being as happy as he was then because of the sadness around him. Carter was still mourning, and Rachel's baby would never know her mother. It was senseless Kenny thought, as he ran his hand down Max's back.

It still scared him when he thought about how close he came to losing her in the last few months. Throwing back the covers, he set out to keep the promise he made to himself in the woods that night.

**101010101010**

Max woke up the next morning to an empty bed, and she heard Kenny clamoring around in the kitchen. Feeling lighter and freer than she had in months, she stretched out in his big bed. Danny was gone, and she had no doubts that he was going to be sentenced to life in prison. When she and Kenny got back to his place last night, slightly drunk, Max wanted to make love to him. She wanted to be with him again, but they didn't. Even in his half drunken state, he hadn't wanted to take advantage of her, and that morning Max felt grateful for that. And it made her want him to touch her even more. Hearing the crash in the kitchen, she smiled to herself, and tossing back the blankets.

Straightening out the tee-shirt of Kenny's she was wearing, she pulled her hair back and wandered out to see what exactly he was doing.

Stopping dead in her tracks she stared at him. "Are you cooking?"

Kenny tossed the charred contents of the pan into the trash. "Trying to. It didn't work so well."

Max tried not to wrinkle her nose at the smell. "Well,I can't do to much better."

Kenny had wanted this morning to be perfect for them, but his cooking skills left something to be desired. He fingered his grandmother's ring in his pocket, and wanted more then anything to give it to her. A proposal over cold cereal just didn't seem like something they could tell their kids about.

"How bout we go out?" Kenny asked, the thought of having kids throwing him for a second.

"Sure," she agreed. "Let me go get dressed."

**101010101010**

Danny paced in his holding cell that same morning. Edison was all set to appeal the case, and Danny wanted nothing more then to get out of this jail. He saw the looks of the passing deputies when they brought him his meals, and the media had crucified him. He would get out of here, and make the world understand what he did. He had to talk to Max first, Danny decided, and once she understood, so would everyone else. Turning back to his food, he began to plan.

**101010101010**

"Do think they're staring at us?" Max whispered feel conspicuous.

"You've been in the paper a lot lately," Kenny replied feeling the eyes upon them, as they climbed back into his truck. "Let's get out of here."

Thankful for the reprieve of the prying gazes upon her, Max gratefully sunk against the seat. Stomach still grumbling, she watched as Kenny pulled out of town. He gestured to the first fast food chain they came across, and Max nodded as they pulled into the drive in. Ordering a bag full of heart attack starters, Kenny parked the truck in Windsor Park.

"Hmm, this is nice," Max said settling onto the grass by the pond. "Last days of summer."

"Yeah," Kenny agreed, tossing her a breakfast sandwich, and plopping down next to her. "Private too."

"Fifteen minutes of fame," Max replied off handily. "Next week it'll be something else."

"It's Rome," Kenny said distantly, fiddling with the ring in his pocket, and being absolutely terrified with what he was supposed to do. Lapsing into silence they ate, as Max felt him stiffen beside her. Shooting him a sideways glance, she couldn't read his expression, but she could tell he was contemplating something. Swallowing the last of her food, she waited for him to come out with it. Glancing out at the calm water and nearly deserted park, Max felt like they were on their own oasis away from the world.

"Hey Max," he said trying to sound casual, as she turned to look at him. Pulling her to her feet with him, Kenny brushed her hair back from her face, and just looked at her for a minute. He could feel his heart beginning to pound harder, as he bent down onto one knee. "Max, I love you. I've never loved anyone the way I do you...Will you marry me?"

Max began to tremble, as Kenny proposed to her. She couldn't speak as he finished, and his beautiful words haunted her thoughts. He pulled a stunning square cut diamond ring out his pocket that she saw through the blur of tears. Sinking down onto the grass next to him because she didn't trust her legs to support her, Max struggled to reply.

"I, uh, oh Kenny," she stumbled over the words, as she tried to clear her head of her emotions, before continuing numbly. "You're asking me to marry you?"

Kenny studied her shocked expression and her tears, and brushed a few away. "Yeah, but if you don't want to… we can forget it."

Max shook her head. "I don't want to forget it… I, that was beautiful…. Yes."

"Yes?" Kenny asked feeling as shocked as Max did a few minutes ago. "Yes?"

Max nodded through her tears, as Kenny slipped the ring onto her finger. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him softly.


	11. Announcements

"You sure?" Kenny gasped that afternoon in her bedroom, as Max kissed him again. "Once we start, I don't think I can stop."

Max grinned wickedly at him, and pulled her shirt and bra over her head. "I want you."

Kenny drank in the sight of her toned body, as she began unbuttoning his shirt. He pulled her into his arms, as she began to kiss his chest. Pushing him down on the bed, Max dragged her tongue across him, as he worked on getting her shorts off. Kenny flipped her onto her back, as she pushed his pants down with her leg. Kenny watched her face carefully, as he touched her. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt or scare her in anyway, but he saw nothing but happiness. Groaning again, Kenny lowered his body to hers, and as they lost themselves in each other, they ignored the ringing of the phone.

"We have to tell someone about this," Max said a few hours later, lying in his arms.

"We do?" Kenny teased. "I didn't know people were so interested in our sex life."

Max smacked him with a pillow, turning over to look at him. "No, the other thing."

Kenny looked down on the ring on her hand, and caught her drift. "I kind of like it the way it is now. They'll all know soon enough."

"True," Max agreed, reluctant to move from where she lay, as someone rang the doorbell. "I really want to ignore that."

"Lets," Kenny replied, kissing her again, as the ringing continued.

"Hmm," Max murmured. "All I want is one day where I don't have to worry about anything. I just want to lie here and not move."

"Not at all," he teased, pulling her on top of him.

"Well maybe a little," she conceded.

**11111111111111111111**

"He wants to cut a deal now?" Jimmy asked surprised when Georgia walked into his office. "He must know that he won't win his appeal, no one would ever let him out."

"Edison is questioning Max's testimony," Georgia said coolly. "The creditability of her actually being raped."

Jimmy recalled that night in the woods, and the expression on Max's face. "She was. I'll never forget the look on her face."

Georgia paused before responding, choosing her words carefully. "You are all Max's friends, and of course you want to believe her. This department knew all of the victims, and Edison will work that into his appeal. I want to be ready, and if we make a deal with him Danny will have jail time. Not as much as we had hoped, but it's a guarantee. I have no doubt that this man is guilty as sin, but that doesn't mean that his appeal won't be heard or the verdict overturned."

"There are no guarantees in this job," Jimmy said. "And we're not cutting a deal, I told you that earlier."

"Fine. I'll continue working on my arguments."

**11111111111111111111**

Carter Pike moved stealthily down the row of holding cells until he came to the one that Danny was in. Carter knew that he was being transferred to Federal Prison the next day, and he wanted one last look at the man who had taken Sue away from him. Danny looked up when he saw Carter, and widened his grin at him.

"If it isn't the esteemed medical examiner," Danny drawled. "What gives me the honor?"

Carter sized up his wrinkled appearance before saying icily. "I just wanted to look at you one last time before you're locked up for the rest of your miserable life."

"Oh, you must still be angry about Sue," Danny replied rising. "I enjoyed her. A virgin, Carter? I didn't know you were such a romantic."

"Don't say her name," he hissed.

"Why not? You lost your one shot at happiness, but I'm not going to lose mine. Hear this, I will get out of here and then Max and I are going to live happily ever after," Danny replied casually. "I just have to make her understand."

Carter backed away slowly, seeing the madness in his eyes and regretted this adventure. Walking down the hall to Jimmy's office, he saw Georgia leaving and went in to talk about his conversation with Danny.

Jimmy listened as Carter filled him in on the details, but none of it came as much of a surprise to him.

"He won't get out," Jimmy repeated. "His obsession with Max… it's something I don't want her to have to worry about."

"She's tough," Carter replied thoughtfully. "This is deeply personal stuff. I can see him sending her letters from prison, and I know she feels guilty about all of this. Hell, I made her feel that way."

"He's leaving tomorrow," Jimmy said,. "And we'll take it from there."

**11111111111111111111**

Max flipped through a bridal magazine that afternoon at the drugstore. Feeling giddy at the thought of wearing one of those long, white dresses, she couldn't resist the impulse to pick one up. Not a big fan of lace and ruffles, she decided as she tossed it into her basket, but it was going to fun to shop. Remembering her sister's tiered, ruffled silk, Max tried not to laugh because privately she thought that Caroline had looked like the cake.

"Max?" a voice called from behind her. "Wait up."

"Jill, hi," Max replied. "How are you?"

"Fine," she replied giving Max a once over and was pleased to see that she had finally gained some of the weight she had lost back and looked radiantly happy. "And you?"

"Life is looking up," Max said grinning thinking that this day was definitely in the top three. "I don't think that anything could spoil the way I feel right now."

"You've earned it," Jill said watching her toss in a bag of M&M's on top of the bridal magazine. "What's that?"

"What," Max asked following Jill's gaze into her basket. "Oh."

"Maxine?" Jill trailed off feeling excited for her two young friends. "Are you and Kenny…"

Max held out her hand, and Jill grasped it and pulled the younger woman into a spontaneous hug. Both dropping their shopping baskets, Max hoped everyone's reactions would be this good.

"It's about time," Jill replied. "It's only taken what? Six, seven years? What took you two so long?"

Max rolled her eyes. "C'mon, it's Kenny and me; I think between us we've had a total of four serious relationships. It just took us awhile to figure out what we wanted, and then we were too stubborn to admit it. The whole commitment concept is kind of foreign idea."

"When is the wedding?"

"We haven't gotten that far yet. He just asked me this morning, and I picked one of these up on impulse. I couldn't help it."

"I'm so happy for you two," Jill said truthfully. "I think we've all needed some good news lately."

Max nodded in agreement, as they made their way to the registers.

**11111111111111111111**

"Married?" Jimmy asked flabbergasted when Jill told him that night. "Max and Kenny?"

Jill nodded enjoying the shocked expression on his face. "It's great, and it certainly took them long enough."

Jimmy thought back to when both of his two young deputies arrived in Rome, and he realized then that they weren't kids anymore. Both were so young, he thought, and they had worked so well together. He was glad about that, and the fact that they were friends. He was happy for them, and wanted what was best for them.

"They've been circling each other for years," Jimmy conceded. "I've seen the way they look at each other, and I suppose it was just a matter of time."

"You should have seen Max this morning. She was glowing," Jill replied. "They deserve this, and I pray that everything will work out for them."

Jimmy pulled his wife into his arms, and knew that they were too stubborn to have it any other way. "I'm going to see them, want to come?"

**11111111111111111111**

"You had to tell," Kenny teased her later. "Women."

"It's not every day I get engaged you know," Max replied flippantly. "Poor Jill, she almost fell down. She asked what took us so long."

Kenny shrugged. "It's us. What did she expect?"

"I wonder sometimes," Max trailed off, and hesitating before continuing. "If we had started this thing between us sooner. It was always there, but if we acted on it. You know, like on that Thanksgiving, or that night we almost, you know, or any of those other moments that the tension was going to explode. Where do you think we would be?"

"It was all I could do not to toss you on my desk on Thanksgiving," Kenny admitted. "And take you there, and tell you everything that I felt. For months afterwards I wanted to."

"I used to be so jealous of all your women," Max replied. "I was terrified of losing my best friend if I told him. And I almost did."

"You're stuck with me," Kenny said trying to lift the mood, but knowing they still had some issues to hash out. "I didn't like your boyfriends either and most nights I would have rather of had a beer with you."

Max tried not to blush. "The timing was never right before. Between other people, work, and the fact that we antagonize each other half the time… it feels right this time. Still I wonder what if."

"We wouldn't have known each other the way we do now if we hooked up earlier. You know you were the first woman that I'm not related to, that I can talk to about stuff like this. Hell I was attracted to you, and I was from the first time I saw you smile at me. Max, you make me want to be a better person, and change is a scary thing. Maybe it's not wasted time between us, we built a more solid relationship before we started the rest of it before that Valentines Day," Kenny replied softly trying to make sense of the thoughts in his head. "I would've rather waited with you, then made all those mistakes I made with them. And I know I've made some with you too. The only part that we wasted was this past year, and I wish that we could have it back."

Max nodded. "Me too."

"Hell, maybe we'd be married and have a couple of kids," Kenny continued. "I don't want to worry about what ifs. I want you, and whatever future that we're going to have."

"Do you want kids?" Max asked hesitantly. "We've never talked about that."

Kenny recalled Max's response to the woman who had left her the baby, and he knew that she was going to be a fantastic mother. Lately he'd catch her looking at mothers with their kids, and he was thinking that having a few was a good idea.

"How about a half dozen, or so?" he asked to get a rise out of her.

"Six?" Max asked, as a knock came at his door. "We might have to work on that number a little. Six?"

She tossed a throw pillow at him when he went to answer the door, and placed her hand on her flat abdomen. The thought of having a baby in there, it was even more foreign then the one about wearing the long, white dress, Max thought. Finishing her beer, she went to see who was stopping by at 10 at night.

"And here she is," Jill called. "We were just talking about you."

She saw Jimmy shaking Kenny's hand, and Max felt a surge of love for these people who were like family to her. Knowing that telling her own family wouldn't be as good as this, Max promised herself that she would enjoy it.

"Congratulations," Jimmy said holding out his hand to her. "It took me to surprise, but it's about time."

"I know," Max said, shooting Kenny a knowing glance. "We took our time with this."

His arm came around her waist, as the two couples moved into the living room to talk.

**11111111111111111111**

"Mom, would you just listen to me," Max begged into the phone three days later after her first day back at work. "Mother!"  
Max rolled her eyes at Kenny and listened while her mother rattled off ideas for her wedding. Ice sculptures, string quartets, ribbon poles, dress suggestions, all before Max could get in a word edgewise.

"Mom, please," Max broke in on her ramblings. "I'll look at all of that, I promise. And I'll let you know, and I know that you and Dad are going to be away then."

Max pulled the phone away from her ear again as her mother began spouting off about the chic flower arrangements of the year, and was tempted to bang her head against the wall in protest. If she was unconscious, Max reasoned, she couldn't hear. Tuning back in to her father's voice coming onto the line, he demanded to know what was going on to have her mother in such a tizzy.

"Hi Dad," Max said carefully, remembering last Christmas with her parents, and how her father told her she was wasting her life and was an embarrassment to the family.

"Maxine, I didn't expect to hear from you," her Dad replied. "I thought you were to busy getting yourself into trouble to talk to us."

Groaning to herself. "I've had a tough few months, but life is looking up."

"How so?"

Max took a deep breath before responding. "I'm getting married."

"To some dumb Wisconsin local. I don't think so," her father bellowed. "When is this nonsense going to stop? You're 30 years old, and it's time you start living up to your responsibilities."

"What would those be?"" Max retorted. "Going to the opera, and being on the society pages every day? Dad, I'm not Caroline and we've been over this too many times in the last 10 years."

"We'll keep going over it until you understand that the life your living isn't suitable for someone in our family."

"It's suitable for me. And I'm happy Dad, why can't you just get that?"

"Why can't you be more like your sister, and I won't stand for this. If you want to be part of this family, you do so by our standards."

"You sound like a bad movie. I'm hanging up now," Max snapped. "Thanks for all your support Dad; it's made all the difference in the last few months."

Clicking the phone off, she tossed it across the room onto a chair, and wondered if she really expected a better response from the man who had belittled her for most of her life. She could feel Kenny's eyes on her, and she just shook her head. "I don't know what I expected from him. Mom's ready to plan one for 500 people, and my Dad flipped out. Something about moving back to Boston, and living up to their standards. Ugh."

"What standards?" Kenny asked seeing the tension on her face.

"Proper society, and not marrying, as Dad put it, a dumb Wisconsin local. It's the same shit that I've heard for 10 years, and I don't know why I expect anything different from him. I'm glad your family is happy for us."

"They're going to love you," Kenny replied confidently, trying not to feel stung by her Dad's comment. "You're not Catholic, but they can't have everything."

Max shook her head in astonishment. "I love you. And I can't believe we're doing this, it seems surreal. Listening to my Mom talk about flowers and cakes… The whole white dress thing… it's us, you know? Who would have thought it?"

"Me," Kenny said. "And you. Who cares what anybody else thinks? This is for us."

"When are we going to do this?" Max asked hesitantly, knowing how long it took them to get to this point.

"Soon. I promised myself, in the woods that night that we wouldn't waste any more time. It's October, how long does planning one of these things take?"

"I've never done it before. Mom was saying a year and a half."

"A year? How long does it take you to buy a dress?"

"It's not just the dress. There are guests, booking a place to have it, flowers, food, drinks, music, rehearsals, and probably a lot of stuff I forgot."

"How about April? Six months from now. You can be very ambitious when you put your mind to it."

"Hey, I'm not doing this alone," Max protested, "April it is."

**11111111111111111111**

"How goes it?" Carter asked a few weeks later, as Kenny came down to the morgue. They just found a body in the river a few days ago, and Carter just finished the autopsy report.

"You have any information on this one?" Kenny asked.

"Forty year old man, lungs filled with water, hypothermia and no sign of a struggle. My guess, he was fishing and he fell in."

"Max is going through missing person reports, I'll pass it along," Kenny said.

Carter pushed the body back into the drawer. "How's the planning going?"

Kenny shook his head. "Women, you know? They're the only ones who can tell the difference between shades of white. Max's mother and sister are coming down in a few weeks, and she's stressed about that. We want this simple, small, but it's beginning to spin out of control."

"Yeah," Carter agreed distantly. "I met one at the grocery store yesterday. It's not too soon, is it?"

"Sue's been gone for four months," Kenny said carefully. "It's up to you."

Carter nodded. "She gave me her phone number."

"Would she want you to mourn her forever?"

"No," Carter said softly. "I'll have to sleep on this one."

**111111111111111111111111**

I can't believe they showed up to help me buy a wedding dress, but not when I was in the hospital in a coma, Max thought as the salesperson zipped up the back of the dress. Cursing Carla for canceling on her at the last moment, Max modeled the dress for them.

"Ooh, I like that one," Caroline Stewart Richardson squealed, fingering the lace on the skirt. "The bow is adorable!"

Max eyed her reflection warily, and thought she looked like a fairy tale reject. "It's not really my style. I'm not a bow person."

"Oh, you spend most of your time in a uniform," her mother said airily. "We know fashion, trust me."

Max shot a desperate look at the sales woman, who smiled sympathetically at her before offering a suggestion,. "Why don't we try something else? This over powers your frame. You've got great shoulders, a tiny waist, and we want to show those off."

"Thank you," Max whispered to her on the way back.

"That's my job. Here," she said handing her another dress. "Try this."

Max knew it was the one, the minute she put it on. The strapless silk dress fit her frame perfectly, and there were no bows in sight. The bodice was subtly embroidered, and the skirt was a sweep of white silk that fell to her feet.

"Oh, I love this," Max breathed to them. "I want this."

"It's so plain," Caroline replied. "It's your wedding day Maxie, don't you want to stand out?"

"Not with bows and lace. That's yo,u Caro, not me."

"You do look lovely," her mother conceded, seeing the happy expression on her younger daughters face. Despite her husband's response to Maxie's choices, Hannah was secretly thrilled that she had veered from her planned path. She glowed when she talked about Kenny, who Hannah was looking forward to meeting. "You do dress more simply then we do."

"I'll take it," Max said.

**11111111111111111111**

"I liked them," Kenny said after they had dropped Max's sister and mother off at the airport. "I never knew the difference between pumps and high heels before."

"Shut up," Max said jabbing him with her elbow playfully. "It's an important one because the shoe just has to match the dress."

"Why don't we just elope?" Kenny asked, half kidding. "You have a dress, I own a tie, why not just do it?"

Max stared at him for a minute. "Does that mean I won't have to listen to my mother talk about how the cake frosting has to match the flowers?

"I'd marry you right now if I could," he said honestly.

"I thought you wanted that big Catholic wedding thing," Max said. "I know that's important to you."

"You're important to me."

Max thought to how he'd taken care of her the last few months, and how much she wanted to do this for him. She knew how important this was to Kenny, and however tempting eloping might have sounded, she shook her head. "Well, you're important to me too. And it's January, we have less then four months to pull this together."

"If you can handle matching flowers to guests," Kenny teased. "I bet you look pretty hot in that white dress."

"Oh, you're going to love it," Max said, throwing him a seductive glance before deciding if she wanted to continue. "I have to ask you something though. I want to do this before we get married, sort of closure."

Kenny didn't say anything, so she continued. "It's been a wild year to say the least, both good and bad… I want to go see Danny."

"No way," Kenny snapped. "You're not going near him Max. Don't even think about it."

"Will you let me finish?"

"There's nothing to finish. Look at everything that he did! Why would you want to ever see him again?"

Trying not to feel resentful of Kenny's response because she really understood where he was coming from on this one, she struggled to keep her voice neutral. "For closure. I want him to see he didn't win. I want to be able to look at him, and for him to see that I'm still here and that he didn't destroy me. I don't want to have to live with this fear of him, and I don't want to start our life together with him still haunting me."

"Does he?"

"Yeah. Sometimes I wake up, and I can practically feel him touching me. Then I think of the others, and I just need to do this. I don't want to, but I don't think that I'll be free of him until I do."

"Okay," Kenny said reluctantly. "Max, I don't like this. I won't ask you not to do this, but I don't like it."

"Me either," she said.

**11111111111111111111**

"It was," Max asked a few weeks later. "Are they going to appeal it again?"

Jimmy nodded. "Edison is convinced that he can get him out because of some testimonies."

"Mine," Max said. "I know it cast doubt at the trial."

"No," Jimmy argued. "Anyone who thinks that isn't using their head. Have a seat. I had an interesting talk with Kenny the other day about you. Wanting to go see Danny."

"I know he's upset about it," she said, feeling pissed at him for going behind her back like that "It's something I feel like I have to do."

Jimmy saw the intensity in her eyes, and a big part of him wanted to protect her from this man. He had expressed his concern to Kenny about this, and had to agree with him. Jimmy also knew that when Max dug her heals in about something, it was very hard to change her mind.

"I know you have a lot on your plate now," he said changing tactics on her. "Kenny said something about coordinating cake and flowers."

Max smiled despite knowing what he was trying to do. "My mother has these ideas, and I try to humor her. Bows, lace and ribbon, and even I didn't know that there were so many different shades of white. I know you're changing the subject on me."

"Carter talked to him before he was shipped off," Jimmy said, not wanting to bring up that conversation. "He's convinced that he's going to get out, and the two of you are going to be together."

"He's wrong," Max said quietly, trying to shake the creepy feeling away. "And that's why I want to go see him."

Jimmy nodded. "Be careful."

**11111111111111111111**

"I'll be back soon," Max said, reluctant to let go of Kenny's hand. "Thanks for coming with me."

"What did you think? No way was I letting you come up here alone," Kenny said looking at her worried expression. "Max, you don't have to do this."

"Yeah, I do," she said, turning towards the door.

Kenny watched her go through, and hoped she found what she came for.


	12. Surviving

"I knew that you'd come from me," Danny exclaimed seeing Max waiting for him. "You see? This is our destiny here."

Max didn't say anything right away, as she slid into the chair in front of the partition. Despite her brave words to Kenny and Jimmy, she felt absolutely terrified being alone with this man, even if there was a wall separating them.

"I have so much to tell you," he gushed, putting his hand to the plastic. "I have so many plans for when I get out of here, for you and me. I know why you said the things you said in court, but I know you still love me. Be patient, we'll be together soon."

Max fought the urge to run screaming from the room at his passion, as he continued to babble. Taking a deep breath she waited for him to shut up.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" he breathed.

"I didn't come here to make plans for the future with you," Max said evenly. "I wanted to see for myself that you were locked up. I know what you told Carter the other day, and the fact that your lawyer thinks he can get you out of here disgusts me, and if he succeeds I'll lose all faith in the judicial system. I want you to look at me Danny, really take a good look because this is the last time you're ever going to see me."

"No," he said carefully. "It's not."

"Yes it is. I'm not yours, and you're welcome to your sick little fantasies. That's all your ever going to have of me," Max said lowly. "You've manipulated me, stalked me, killed my friends, and raped me, but you know what? I'm still here, and I you're never going to hurt me again. Or anyone else in my life. You tried to destroy everything that I love, but you didn't win Danny."

Max watched as his face twisted into an ugly parody of itself, and he slammed both hands up against the plastic wall. "You don't understand! I need you, and you need me!"

"No I don't and I'm not sure why I ever thought I did," Max argued. "You're nothing to me, and I hope you rot in hell."

"Don't go," he begged. "Please don't leave me here!"

Max felt the need for vengeance build up inside her and she sighed. "Sorry Danny, but I have to go. I have a lot of things to do today. Did you know that I'm getting married? To Kenny. Have a nice life."

She watched him sink back into his chair, but could feel his eyes burning into her back as she left.

**121212121212**

Kenny stood, as a shaky Max made her way back to the lobby. Her short confrontation with Danny left her feeling emotionally drained, but relived that she could face him and not want to curl up in the corner and die. Not saying a word, she signed out, and gratefully went into his waiting arms. Closing the chapter, she thought, as they left.

**121212121212**

"That eloping idea is sounding better and better," Max muttered to herself, as she finalized the flower arrangements, as the countdown began. Checking off her mental list of wedding chores that she had to accomplish, she turned back to the case file in front of her. Typical Rome, she thought focusing in on it, a couple of teenagers thought it was a good idea to inject their neighbor's dog with some of their grandfather's medications. Needless to say, chaos reigned, and it turned out the grandfather's medication was synthetic heroin. Small town America is changing, Max thought as the investigation wrapped up.

"Hi Carter," she said, not looking up.

"I finished the autopsy report on the dog," he replied, passing it to her. "There were enough drugs in that animal to kill a 300 pound human."

"We put the fear of God into them," she replied flipping through his findings. "Jimmy left for the day, I'll leave this for him."

"Thanks," Carter said noting the empty office. "No one else around?"

"Trust me, I'm enjoying the solitude," Max said stretching. "And I plan on going for a long run when I'm done today."

"It's getting pretty close," Carter replied. "Two weeks."

"Don't remind me, I didn't know it took this much work to plan a wedding. I guess my mom was right. She's coming next week, with my sister. My mother can throw together a party in about five minutes, so even if she drives me nuts while she's here, it'll be worth it."

"I didn't meet them when they were here earlier."

"You'll like them. They're a little high strung, but they try."

"I heard you went to go see Danny," he said abruptly.

Max nodded. "So did you. Closure, I guess, I wanted to know that I could move on from it."

"Have you?" Carter asked.

"Have you?" Max asked carefully. "I know it's all still raw."

Carter nodded in agreement. "I met someone a few weeks ago, and I'll always miss Sue, but if you can go on from this, so can I."

"I'm glad."

**121212121212**

"Kenny," Max groaned, throwing her head back as he kissed her neck. "Hmm, I really need to finish this."

He momentarily glanced at her lists. "What's left?"

"Oh, seating charts," she began as he silenced her with a kiss. "Kenny… You know my mom is going to kill me when she gets here if this isn't somewhat finished."

"C'mon," he prodded. "We've been working on this thing for months."

"This thing is our wedding," Max argued, noting their avoidance of that word. "And I'm planning on it being the only one I ever have. I know you're a guy, and don't get into the whole flower arrangement debacle, but you do know that most women have been planning their wedding since they were little girls."

"Okay, okay," he said backing off. "I didn't know you were most women. Max, flowers, the cake, that's not what is important to me. I'd marry you without any of that, and be perfectly happy doing it."

"Are you humoring me?" Max asked tossing her pen down. "I know about your family traditions and this whole Catholic wedding… I know what it means to your family."

"We're about to be family," he argued. "I don't want you to stress over this. Yeah, it's our wedding, and we're letting our families take it over. The Catholics and I don't know what to call your Mom."

"Society snob," Max replied with a small smile. "Your serious about this?"

Kenny shrugged. "We could do both. One for us, and then for them."

"I don't really want ice sculptures anyway," she replied. "Or a giant cake that tastes like cardboard."

"So, if you've been planning your wedding since you were a little girl," Kenny trailed off.

Max let herself settle into his arms. "I had this picture of what I wanted. Springtime, in a garden, with orchids. A Vera Wang dress, a dozen bridesmaids wearing pink, orchids everywhere. A white gazebo and my father giving me away. Telling me that he was proud of me. This is a high society wedding all the way, with a menu prepared by top chefs, and a chocolate mousse cake. My parents cook makes the most unbelievable one. I wanted a husband who would look fantastic in his tux, and take me into his arms and when we danced our first dance, I would feel like the luckiest woman in the world."

"What changed?" Kenny asked as she paused.

"I could find a cure for cancer, and I know that it wouldn't make my Dad happy. I've seen high society weddings, and I remember being at my sisters and realizing that it wasn't what I wanted. My ideal has changed, and you know all that I want? I could stand barefoot wearing jeans, and if I was with the man that I loved, that would be all that mattered."

"I personally want to see you in the dress," Kenny said. "Something about you, and a virginal dress… Max, it really turns me on."

"Try to control yourself," she replied with a grin. "We've still got a few days."

"So what are we vetoing?" he asked. "Ice sculptures? Flower wreaths?"

"Yeah. You know my mom has a dozen doves on hold? I'll veto that."

"Doves? C'mon," Kenny said pulling her to her feet. "We'll call these people tomorrow, and change whatever we want. No sculptures, wreaths, doves, or any of this other junk. All I want is you, me, and our family and friends."

"Sounds good," Max agreed, letting him lead her back into the bedroom.

**121212121212**

"I'm not sure I can do this," Kenny told Jimmy a few days later at his and Max's rehearsal dinner, watching his fiancé chatting with Carla and Laurie.

"Of course you can. Believe me, I've done it twice," Jimmy insisted.

"Yeah. I want Max to be my second wife first. I can't imagine doing this again," Kenny replied, trying not to sound nervous. Seeing his parents and sister, mingling with their friends, he looked around for Max's family, knowing she wished her father was here. Kenny didn't understand her relationship with him, and he knew how much it hurt her that he couldn't be bothered to come to their wedding. He finally spotted them in the corner whispering to each other. Kenny watched as Max moved over to them, and he knew there was still some tension between the three woman. He had to chuckle at Max putting her foot down at the idea of doves, and her saying that she didn't care if it was chic, they weren't going have birds pooping on their guests.

The last thing Max wanted to do at this party was fight with her mother some more, but when she saw that Caroline and her were huddled up in the corner together, she figured she should at least go talk to them.

"Since when do you hide at a party?" Max asked them trying to keep her voice light, as she approached.

Her mother smoothed her Donna Karan suit before surveying the casual crowd. "Well, this isn't exactly what I planned on. Do you remember Caroline's rehearsal dinner?"

Max tried not to grimace at the memory of the pastel décor, and all the guests wearing beige linen. "Yes, Mother. It was beautiful, but that was Caroline."

"Oh, Mother," Caroline replied. "So this isn't going to be the classiest affair we've ever attended. It's Maxie you know, this is really more her style than ours. More low key."

Max tried not to be insulted at the backhanded defense by her sister, as she glanced at the crowd. "Well, I'm going to mingle. I'll see you later."

Walking away from the twosome, she could hear them beginning to whisper again, and she vowed not to let their snide remarks ruin her wedding.

"Well, here is the bride," a voice boomed, as she nearly collided with Kenny's Dad. "I've hardly had a chance to talk to you, but with all that my boy has said, I feel like I know you already. He never told us you were such a looker though."

Max had to smile at him, and she saw that same warmth and honesty in him that she loved about Kenny. "I'm not surprised at that."

He regarded her for a minute, and Max tried not to squirm under his gaze. "You're not what we expected, knowing my son the way I do. I can tell by looking at you that you come from a good stock, a lot of class. And you make my son very happy. I can tell by the way he's looking at you right now."

Max blushed at the compliment, and felt Kenny's arm circle around her waist. "He makes me happy too."

Fred nodded at his son. "You've got a keeper here."

"Yeah, I know," Kenny agreed, locking eyes with the woman by his side. "She's great."

**121212121212**

"They look so sweet," Jill whispered to Kimberly, eyeing Max and Kenny as they snuck away from the party for a few minutes.

"I wonder if they'll actually go through with it tomorrow," she asked. "Mom, they have major commitment issues."

Jill shook her head at her daughters pessimism. "Oh, I think they will. They've been through a lot together in the last few years, and just look at them."

Kimberly followed her mother's gaze, and tried not to feel jealous. It wasn't too long ago she and Kenny tried to have some sort of relationship, but she knew deep down that he was just avoiding the inevitable with Max. She was far from stupid, and Kimberly saw the way that he looked at Max, even during the week when they tried to date. "I'm surprised, that's all Mom. I never thought that Max was the marrying type or Kenny either for that matter."

"I don't think they did either," Jill agreed. "I guess they proved themselves wrong."

They watched them duck around the corner, and out of sight.

**121212121212**

"Would it be rude to leave our own party?" Max asked devilishly, leaning up against the bathroom wall. "This is our last night as singles…before we become an old, boring married couple."

"Probably," Kenny said, despite the fact that he liked the idea. "I hear that our sex life is going to go down hill. We might as well have one more night like we used too. It's our party… we might as well enjoy it."

"Well, then," Max said beckoning him closer. "I don't know if we're ever going to be boring, but I know that our sexual relationship has survived a lot worse then anything that can possibly be coming."

She felt a familiar tingle running through her when Kenny lowered his mouth to hers, and pushed her up against the wall. Forgetting where they were, they began to lose themselves in the moment, and when the door flew open they didn't really notice it right away.

"Whoa," Matthew Brock exclaimed, staring at the embracing couple, as Kenny quickly pulled his hand out of Max's shirt, as Jimmy came up behind his son. "Wow. I've never seen my parents do that."

Jimmy eyed his two deputies and tried not to laugh at their startled expressions. Torn between chastising them and just poking them a bit, he ushered Matthew out. He turned his head back, still in awe of the spectacle he just observed.

"You know better," Jimmy said after his son left. "Lock the door next time."

**121212121212**

"Oh God, I'm not sure I can do this," Max exclaimed at the church the next morning. "Mom? What was I thinking?"

Max sunk back against the bench in the bride's room, and not really knowing if she could stand up again. She caught sight of her reflection in the mirror again, and didn't recognize the woman staring back at her. Her hair hung, full and loose, and her sister had a deft touch with make-up and she had made her look stunning. Max was afraid to cry because she didn't want to ruin all of Caro's good work. She looked like a bride, Max realized, and even after all the planning, she didn't think there would be this utter panic.

"Shh, don't be silly, Maxie. Women do this everyday," her mother insisted. "We've worked too hard planning this to have you call it off."

"Hello," Jill called from the doorway, poking her head in. "Oh, Max. Look at you."

Jill studied the panicked expression on her young friend's face, and beckoned Carla and Laurie into the room. Utter terror, Jill thought, thinking she would drag her down the aisle kicking and screaming if she had too. Beautiful, though, loving her dress.

"I can't do this," Max said again. "Please, just let me get out of here."

"Max," Jill began, not quite sure what to say. "I've seen you and Kenny together, and I know you love each other, believe me it's obvious. It's all Matthew can talk about. So get up off your butt, and go down the aisle. You two have earned this day."

Max nodded slightly, listening.

**121212121212**

Kenny paced across the hall, feeling as nervous as his bride. He felt his Dad, Jimmy and Carter all watching him, and he wished he could think of something to say. What he realized at that moment was how much he wanted to see Max. Just look at her face for a minute, and know everything was going to be alright.

"It's almost time," his Dad said nodding towards the full church. "You ready?"

"I'm not sure," Kenny said. "Not sure I can do this."

Jimmy and Carter exchanged a look, and part of them each knew that this might happen. The panic of knowing you were giving a huge part of yourself to another person was gnawing in Kenny's gut, and he didn't really know if he could stand up in front of all these people and get married. Even after all this time the word still sounded foreign to him.

"Yes, you can" Jimmy replied. "You two have been planning this for months, and I don't know how long subconsciously. You two didn't look like you had any doubts last night."

"That was different, we're good at that," Kenny said distantly.

**121212121212**

"No, sorry," Max insisted. "Jill I'm serious, I love him, I really do, but this whole marriage thing… maybe it's not for me. Kenny and I have enough trouble not burning dinner, we antagonize each other half the time, and I don't think we've had a moment of peace together in the last year."

Jill and Laurie exchanged a look, not really knowing what to do.

**121212121212**

"You're just going to leave her at the alter," his Dad asked flabbergasted. "That beautiful young woman? Are you an idiot? Most men are lucky if they find someone like that, and you're just going to throw it all away? I certainly wouldn't leave a woman on your wedding day that knows how to shoot a gun. Believe me, I'm sure your mother would have shot me a dozen times by now if she knew how."

"We still have a few minutes," Carter interjected. "Go get some air, or something. Don't go anywhere. I don't think Max would shoot you, but I wouldn't want to see her that pissed."

Kenny nodded, as he went out to collect himself.

Jimmy shook his head, as he wandered out to keep an eye on his deputy.

**121212121212**

Jill peeked outside and found the hallway deserted,. "We have a few minutes. Clean yourself up, and get some fresh air. Max, you need to think about this objectively here."

"Okay," she whispered, shakily rising to her feet. "Some air would be good."

Jill joined Jimmy at the window, to keep an eye on Max, not realizing that Kenny was out there too, having last minute jitters. Jimmy held his hand out to his wife, as he continued his watch.

"Kids, you know," he said shaking his head. "Kenny's ready to bolt."

"So is Max," Jill replied. "You should see her Jimmy, she looks gorgeous in that dress, terrified, but beautiful. I sent her out to get some fresh air and to clear her head."

Look," Jimmy said, pointing towards to the two startled deputies bumping into each other on the church steps. "Maybe the groom seeing the bride in her dress won't be a bad omen this time."

**121212121212**

"Wow," Kenny gasped, drinking in the woman that stood in front of him. "I didn't know you could look like that."

"You look pretty good yourself. I don't think I've ever seen you in a tie, much less a tuxedo," Max whispered, feeling some of her panic melt away. "Oh Kenny, are we really doing this?"

He was afraid to touch her because she looked so beautiful, not quite real to him. "Do you still want to?"

"Do you?" she countered, before sighing. "With everything else, it didn't seem quite real until today. I saw myself like this, and I just freaked out."

"You want to get out of here?" he offered. "We have a car down there. Who are we doing this for? This is us Max, what were we thinking?"

Max could see the fear in his eyes, the same fear from that Valentines Day, and she reached out and touched his face. "We're doing this for us, remember? So we both have dozens of failed relationships, but one is bound to stick. Why not ours? I don't want this to be another what if for us."

Kenny regarded her for a second before responding. "Remember the last time we were out here together, at Father Barrett's mass after the shoe thing?"

"Yeah," Max said softly. "After that night."

"That night," Kenny repeated.

_ "Listen Max, you and me, it's crazy. It would just screw things up at work."_

_ "I know. I know. I agree completely. We should know better."_

_ "We learn."_

_ "Yup."_

"It is crazy," Max echoed. "And things have been different with us. You're my best friend Kenny, and I love you. It took me along time to tell you that, and I'm not going to take it back now."

Kenny looked at the determination on her beautiful face. "You know what? Maxine Stewart, I love you. I've always been in love with you. Ever since I saw you in that ridiculous, ridiculous trooper hat seven years ago. And I'll never get you out of my system. So you might as well marry me."

"I don't want to interrupt," Jimmy called from the doorway. "But they're about to start without you."

Slowly they smiled at each other, as they followed Jimmy back into the church.

**1212121212121212**

"I promise to love, honor, and cherish you for all the rest of my days," Max said, trying to hold back her tears. Keeping her hands steady, she slid the gold band onto Kenny's finger. "With this ring, I thee wed."

Looking up at him, she could tell it was hard for him to keep his voice steady as he recited his vows. She felt the band slip onto her finger, and they turned back towards the priest.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Kenny wrapped his arms around Max, and pulled her into him. Pausing for a second, their eyes locked on each other. He lowered his mouth to hers, and they both knew now that all the suffering they went through in the last two years had been worth it. They had made it, and this was where they were supposed to be. Breaking apart, they turned to meet their gathered friends and family as Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Lacos.

THE END


End file.
